Paul C. Hong, Kainan Wang, Xu Zhang and Youngwon Park
Over the decade the trend of Global Fortune 500 firms has shown significant changes – Japanese and Chinese firms in particular. The purpose of this paper is to present trend…
Abstract
Purpose
Over the decade the trend of Global Fortune 500 firms has shown significant changes – Japanese and Chinese firms in particular. The purpose of this paper is to present trend analysis of Global Fortune 500 – Japanese and Chinese firms. Key research questions are: what are the relevant macro-level changes that have affected the growth and decline of Japanese and Chinese firms? What are the industry-level changes that have occurred in Japanese and Chinese firms in terms of firm characteristics and financial performances? What are the lessons and implications from the firms added to or removed from Global Fortune 500? Data analysis is conducted based on Fortune database from 1995 to 2013.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs descriptive analysis to examine the trend of Japanese and Chinese firms listed in Global Fortune 500 including: based on revenue and profit figures from 1995 to 2013; the authors perform trend analysis for each of those five types from 1995 to 2013; the authors replicate the analyses for different industry types in terms of the above five types; the authors compare the performances of Japanese and Chinese firms; based on 2011-2013 data, the authors conduct more in-depth analysis for selected firms.
Findings
The findings suggest five distinct types of firms including “Sustainables,” “New Comers,” “Move Ups,” “Decliners,” and “Drop Outs”; it is interesting to note that the changes in Global Fortune 500 firms suggest how these two countries show their relative competitive advantage. Chinese firms show steady flows of new firms that join in the rank of Global Fortune 500 whereas Japanese firms suggest continuous drop of firms that move out of Global Fortune 500 firms. As China increases its size of economy, state-owned financial institutions, resource-focus firms (e.g. mining and petroleum) firms also rapidly increased its overall size. Although the number is still small, privately owned Chinese global firms (e.g. Lenovo, Huawei, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Ping An Insurance) also are now listed as Global Fortune 500 firms. In contrast, Japanese firms that lost their global market positions steadily disappeared from Global Fortune 500 firms. Representative firms include Daiei, Mitsubishi Motor Company, and NEC.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation of the analysis on financial indicators is that the authors select only a few firms and focus only on two time points. Nevertheless, it provides the authors information about the financial factors that characterize the two types of Global Fortune 500 firms. Moreover, it opens up new opportunities for future research.
Practical implications
Factors that influence the behaviors of Global Fortune 500 firms suggest both external environmental and internal managerial factors. Although serious external factors (e.g. Global Financial Crisis) affect the outcomes of these competitive positioning, it is still the managerial leadership that makes differences in cases of many Japanese firms. To Japanese firms maintaining domestic advantage is not enough to sustain their position in Global Fortune 500. Global competitiveness matters. On the other hand, it is unclear whether changes occurring in Chinese firms are more managerial than externally dictated. In case of many Chinese financial firms and resource rich firms, the huge domestic advantage has much to do with their position in Global Fortune 500.
Originality/value
This is the first trend analysis that examines the Global Fortune 500 firms from Japan and China. The authors identify five types of firms that would be an important basis for the further benchmarking studies of Global Fortune 500 firms in other counties (e.g. the USA, Germany, Korea, and other Emerging Economies – Russia, India, Brazil).
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This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.
Findings
For many young managers and strategists, few of them will realize just how mighty Japan and its firms were in the 1990s. As the world’s second biggest economy, it saw many of its firms lead their industries in both size and innovation – Toyota and Sony being just two examples – so that they genuinely threatened to overtake the USA and its preeminence. Indeed, when Toyota finally overtook General Motors as the world’s biggest car manufacturer, the effect was felt through Detroit and beyond. Further stories about the similar rise in the price of Tokyo real estate became legendary as well – for example that the well-heeled district of Ginza in central Tokyo was worth more than the whole of California.
Practical Implications
The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.
Originality/value
The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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Xu Long, Xianyi Zhao, Kainan Chong, Yutai Su, Kim S. Siow, Zhi Wang, Fengrui Jia and Xin Wan
The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the mechanical properties of sintered nanosilver with different porosities at both the mesoscopic and macroscopic scales and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the mechanical properties of sintered nanosilver with different porosities at both the mesoscopic and macroscopic scales and to conduct a multiscale analysis of the porosity effect on the mechanical properties of sintered nanosilver.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper establishes a mesoscopic model for the uniaxial tension of sintered nanosilver and a macroscopic model for chips containing sintered silver layers. Using the finite element method, combined with crystal plasticity theory and unified creep plasticity theory, a multiscale analysis is conducted for the mechanical properties of sintered nanosilver. First, stress distribution characteristics under uniaxial tensile loading for different porosities in sintered nanosilver polycrystal models are analyzed at the mesoscopic scale. Second, at the macroscopic scale, the mechanical performance of sintered nanosilver layers with varying porosities in high-power chip models under cyclic loading is analyzed. Finally, the porosity influence on the damage evolution in sintered nanosilver is summarized, and simulations are conducted to explore the evolution of damage parameters in sintered nanosilver under different porosities.
Findings
In the mesoscopic model, the presence of mesoscale voids affects the stress distribution in sintered nanosilver subjected to tensile loading. Sintered nanosilver with lower porosity exhibits higher tensile strength. In the macroscopic model, sintered nanosilver layers with lower porosity correspond to a more uniform stress distribution, whereas higher porosity leads to faster accumulation of plastic strain in the sintered layer. During chip packaging processes, improving processes to reduce the porosity of sintered layers can delay the initiation of damage and the propagation of cracks in sintered nanosilver.
Practical implications
During chip packaging processes, improving processes to reduce the porosity of sintered layers can delay the initiation of damage and the propagation of cracks in sintered nanosilver.
Originality/value
This paper innovatively uses a mesoscopic crystal plasticity constitutive model and a macroscopic unified creep plasticity constitutive model to analyze the mechanical behavior of sintered nanosilver with different porosities. It comprehensively investigates and explains the influence of porosity on the mechanical performance of sintered nanosilver across multiple scales.
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Fan-Chen Tseng, T.C.E. Cheng, Kai Li and Ching-I Teng
No studies in the extant literature have explored the role of media richness, i.e., the ability of media to enhance understanding among communication partners in a timely manner…
Abstract
Purpose
No studies in the extant literature have explored the role of media richness, i.e., the ability of media to enhance understanding among communication partners in a timely manner, in determining customer loyalty to mobile instant messaging (MIM). Grounded in media richness theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine how media richness influences customer perceived values, consequently contributing to customer loyalty to MIM.
Design/methodology/approach
Collecting data by an online survey, the authors apply partial least square procedures for hypothesis testing.
Findings
The authors obtain the following findings: multiple cues are positively related to functional value; immediate feedback is positively related to social value; personal focus is positively related to self-expressive value; language variety is positively related to all the above values that lead to user loyalty; and language variety has the strongest effect on user loyalty to MIM.
Originality/value
A first attempt to examine the impact of media richness on user loyalty to MIM, this study provides insights for MIM service providers to make decisions to build loyal user bases.
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Jin-Li Hu, Ming-Chung Chang and Hui-Wen Tsay
The purpose of this paper is to explore Taiwan’s regional energy efficiency trend and complement the work of the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) index proposed by Hu and Wang…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore Taiwan’s regional energy efficiency trend and complement the work of the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) index proposed by Hu and Wang (2006). It further extends panel data stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) modeling for estimating disaggregate energy efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper applies the panel data stochastic production frontier to estimate the TFEE scores for 20 administrative regions in Taiwan over the period 2004-2015. The SFA models include five inputs (employed population, amount of productive electricity power consumed, amount of electricity consumed for household and non-household electric lighting, amount of gasoline sales, and amount of diesel sales) and one output (total real income in the base year of 2011).
Findings
This research concludes with three main findings: the inefficient administrative regions of Taiwan include mostly large industrial parks and the petrochemical industry cluster; the top five administrative regions with inefficient diesel use are mostly metropolitan areas that the concern of air pollution caused by diesel system arouses the awareness to use less diesel fuel; and the average TFEE score on household and non-household electric lighting is higher than the usage efficiency of productive electricity power, gasoline, and diesel, but there is still room for efficiency improvement.
Originality/value
Most administrative regions in Taiwan are not efficient in almost all kinds of energy use. The results show that the efficiencies of using productive electricity power, gasoline, and diesel need to be improved a lot more.
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Young-Tae Chang and Paul T.W. Lee
Port competition attracted much scholarly attention in Northwest Europe during the 1980s. Following the rise of powerful economies in East Asia, particularly during the 1980s and…
Abstract
Port competition attracted much scholarly attention in Northwest Europe during the 1980s. Following the rise of powerful economies in East Asia, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, port competition has become an important phenomenon with the top five container ports in the world being located in the region. This paper aims to overview major port competition issues and outlines and analyzes the main alternative methodologies that researchers have employed to address them, referring to 70 items, mostly papers but including a few books and reports
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Zengrui Zheng, Kainan Su, Shifeng Lin, Zhiquan Fu and Chenguang Yang
Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has limitations such as sensitivity to lighting changes and lower measurement accuracy. The effective fusion of information…
Abstract
Purpose
Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has limitations such as sensitivity to lighting changes and lower measurement accuracy. The effective fusion of information from multiple modalities to address these limitations has emerged as a key research focus. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the development of vision-based SLAM (including visual SLAM) for navigation and pose estimation, with a specific focus on techniques for integrating multiple modalities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper initially introduces the mathematical models and framework development of visual SLAM. Subsequently, this paper presents various methods for improving accuracy in visual SLAM by fusing different spatial and semantic features. This paper also examines the research advancements in vision-based SLAM with respect to multi-sensor fusion in both loosely coupled and tightly coupled approaches. Finally, this paper analyzes the limitations of current vision-based SLAM and provides predictions for future advancements.
Findings
The combination of vision-based SLAM and deep learning has significant potential for development. There are advantages and disadvantages to both loosely coupled and tightly coupled approaches in multi-sensor fusion, and the most suitable algorithm should be chosen based on the specific application scenario. In the future, vision-based SLAM is evolving toward better addressing challenges such as resource-limited platforms and long-term mapping.
Originality/value
This review introduces the development of vision-based SLAM and focuses on the advancements in multimodal fusion. It allows readers to quickly understand the progress and current status of research in this field.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the credibility assessment and adoption of electronic word-of-mouth on online social-networking sites, social word-of-mouth (sWOM)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the credibility assessment and adoption of electronic word-of-mouth on online social-networking sites, social word-of-mouth (sWOM), where the author writes product reviews on Facebook and hopes their Facebook friends will buy these products. The readers of the sWOM message are aware of the author’s commercial intentions. sWOM messages on search goods and experience goods are considered separately.
Design/methodology/approach
Author of sWOM messages invites their closed circle of Facebook friends to participate in a survey. The respondents are randomly assigned to read a product review of a search good (i.e. a laptop computer) or an experience good (i.e. a moisturizer cream (beauty product)). The partial least squares method is used to analyze the data from 339 returns (166 for the search good and 173 for the experience good).
Findings
The sWOM readers’ assessments of the messages’ credibility remain free from commercial influence. While the traditional factors of credibility and author-reader tie strength continue to influence the adoption of sWOM message, readers’ perceptions of the sWOM author’s marketing skills is also a factor. The relationships between the constructs depend on whether the products are search or experience goods.
Originality/value
Few studies investigate the type of sWOM considered here. Commercially influenced sWOM messages are effective since the author’s marketing skills, and other often-cited factors, affect the credibility and adoption of sWOM. Thus, the equality-matching (friendship) relationship and the market-pricing (sales) relationship can work hand-in-hand in the sWOM context.
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Fan-Chen Tseng, Pei-Hsun Emma Liu, T.C. Edwin Cheng and Ching-I Teng
This study intended to identify and categorize the drivers of using online English learning resources (OELR) and to understand OELR's impacts.
Abstract
Purpose
This study intended to identify and categorize the drivers of using online English learning resources (OELR) and to understand OELR's impacts.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an online survey, obtained complete responses from 157 OELR users and used structural equation modeling (SEM) for hypothesis testing.
Findings
Most utilitarian and hedonic drivers lead to positive perceptions of OELR, which in turn positively contribute to continuance intention (CI). Two counterintuitive findings were obtained. First, functionality was negatively related to the perception of ease of use. Second, perceived ease of use (PEOU) was not related to CI to use OELR.
Practical implications
This study has implications as follows: (1) complexity of the functions of OELR may deter rather than attract users, (2) ease of use of OELR is not directly positively related to CIs and (3) users may seek practical benefits (utilitarian) and experiential learning processes (hedonic) when using OELR.
Originality/value
The authors' study has theoretical significance by being the first to caution that excessive functionality or complexity in assisting learning tools would likely hinder further use of OELR. The practical significance of this finding is that the finding highlights two factors (perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived enjoyment) that could effectively increase OELR use.
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Wee-Kheng Tan and Yun-Ghang Chang
The purpose of this paper is to use a familiarity and psychological distance framework to investigate the effects of psychological distance (responsibility distance and temporal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use a familiarity and psychological distance framework to investigate the effects of psychological distance (responsibility distance and temporal distance) and destination familiarity on electronic-word-of-mouth (eWOM) consumption in the tourism context. The performance of eWOM is compared with that of traditional-word-of-mouth (tWOM) and the web site of the destination marketing organisation (DMO).
Design/methodology/approach
An experiment approach was used to collect the relevant data. For each of the eight scenarios generated by varying psychological distance dimensions and destination familiarity levels, 200 participants rated the extent that they would use eWOM, tWOM and the DMO web site to search for attraction and local transport information. The data were analysed using 2×2×2 within-subject ANOVA and t-test.
Findings
The analysis highlighted the versatility of eWOM in different psychological distances and familiarity levels. By and large, eWOM performs better than the DMO web site but is on par with tWOM. The advantages of eWOM over tWOM are meaningful under certain circumstances. Despite sharing a common psychological basis, psychological distance dimensions affect information search differently, and the effects are shaped by the types of tourism products being searched. When psychological distance, destination familiarity, tourism products and information sources are considered in totality, a complex picture of their relationship with intensity of information search is shown.
Originality/value
This study bridged the research gap by increasing our understanding of the performance of eWOM under different psychological distances and familiarity levels. The study also provides some suggestions for DMOs to leverage on eWOM and to improve the standing of DMO web site as a tourism information source.