Xiangdong Shen, Li Wang, Xiangmeng Huang and Shuai Yang
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of internet commonweal characteristics on consumers’ participation willingness, mainly predicated on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of internet commonweal characteristics on consumers’ participation willingness, mainly predicated on the stimulus-organism-response model. Furthermore, co-creation value is tested as a mediator of the relationship between internet commonweal characteristics and consumers’ participation willingness, by using the project of Ant Forest issued by Ali-pay as an example.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire survey was conducted among Ant Forest’s consumers with a final sample of 584 valid data. Moreover, to test the hypotheses in the relationship among latent variables, structural equation model analysis was used in this study.
Findings
The findings show that openness and interactivity as two kinds of characteristics of internet commonweal have positive effect on customers’ co-creation value; while co-creation would mediate the relationship between internet commonweal characteristics and customers’ participation willingness. As a result, more co-creation value would be created between the companies and their customers for higher level of internet commonweal to gain a sustainable image.
Practical implications
Two managerial implications derived in this paper to explain how to manage the internet public welfare platform and how to promote the social public welfare undertakings. In short, consumers’ co-creation value, green value, personal achievement value and social relationship value would be aroused by the internet commonweal characteristics and will finally affect consumers’ participation willingness.
Originality/value
The originality and value in this paper is enriching the importance of customers’ co-creation value in the field of internet commonweal. And demonstrating that openness and interactivity of internet commonweal characteristics would increase customers’ co-creation value.
Details
Keywords
Xiangmeng Huang, Boon Leing Tan and Xiaoming Ding
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the pressures and drivers that have been experienced by Chinese manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in terms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the pressures and drivers that have been experienced by Chinese manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in terms of green supply chain management (GSCM).
Design/methodology/approach
The research framework and hypotheses are examined by a questionnaire survey through e-mails conducted in China in 2011. The empirical analysis is based on the data from 202 SME manufacturers in China. Validity and reliability of the items employed in the research is assessed through Cronbach’s α test. Hypotheses for the identification of GSCM pressures and drivers to SMEs as well as the differences that exist among different industrial sectors are tested by adopting descriptive statistics analysis and analysis of variance test.
Findings
This study finds that Chinese manufacturing SMEs have been under pressures from a variety of sources, including regulations, customers, suppliers and public awareness in terms of GSCM. Besides, internal drivers are also an important encouragement for SMEs to consider GSCM. Moreover, Chinese manufacturing SMEs from different industrial sectors show some differences in experiencing pressures or being motivated by drivers.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations to this paper are the relatively small sample of SMEs and the potentially overlooked variables.
Practical implications
Chinese manufacturing SMEs and their larger customers, as well as governments, are likely to obtain some implications from this study if they are willing to consider any GSCM initiatives throughout the supply chain.
Originality/value
The paper clearly explores the GSCM pressures and drivers faced by the Chinese manufacturing SMEs where the results may differ from the findings through the studies on large enterprises or SMEs in other national context.