Xiaoling Li, Zongshu Wu, Qing Huang and Juanyi Liu
This study develops an empirical framework to address how large third-party sellers (TPSs) can apply customer acquisition strategies to improve their performance in consumers’…
Abstract
Purpose
This study develops an empirical framework to address how large third-party sellers (TPSs) can apply customer acquisition strategies to improve their performance in consumers’ person-goods matching process and how the platform firm’s similar strategies moderate the effects of TPSs’ strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data collected from the top ten TPSs from a Chinese e-commerce platform, the fixed effect model is used to validate the conceptual model and hypotheses.
Findings
The study results show that both market detection strategy and matching optimization strategy can help large TPSs improve their sales performance. Moreover, the similar market detection strategy applied by the platform firm weakens the effect of large TPSs’ customer acquisition strategies, while the similar matching optimization strategy applied by the platform firm strengthens the effect of large TPSs’ customer acquisition strategies.
Originality/value
This study provides firsthand evidence on the performance of large TPSs’ and the platform firm’s strategies. It demonstrates the effectiveness of large TPSs’ market detection strategy and matching optimization strategy, which can be adopted to meet consumers’ search and evaluation motivations in their person-goods matching process respectively. Moreover, it identifies the role of platform firms by showing the moderating effect of similar strategies adopted by the platform firm on the effect of large TPSs’ customer acquisition strategies.
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Lingling He, Miaochan Lin, Shichang Liang, Lixiao Geng and Zongshu Chen
This research explores the impact of classical aesthetics (e.g. order and symmetry) and expressive aesthetics (e.g. creativity and distinctiveness) on consumer green consumption.
Abstract
Purpose
This research explores the impact of classical aesthetics (e.g. order and symmetry) and expressive aesthetics (e.g. creativity and distinctiveness) on consumer green consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
This research conducted three studies. Study 1 explored the main effect of appearance aesthetics (appearance: plain vs classical vs expressive) on green products purchase intention through a one-factor between-subjects design. Study 2 verified the mediating role of perceived naturalness through two types of appearance aesthetics (appearance: classical vs expressive) between-subjects design. Study 3 verified the moderating role of product identity-symbolic attributes through a 2 (product identity-symbolic attributes: non-identity-symbolic vs identity-symbolic attributes) × 2 (appearance: classical aesthetics vs expressive aesthetics) between-subjects design.
Findings
Consumers will be more likely to purchase a green product that has classical aesthetics appearance (vs expressive aesthetics). Perceived naturalness mediates the effect of aesthetic appearance on consumer green consumption. Product identity symbol attributes moderate this effect. Specifically, for non-identity-symbolic green products, classical aesthetics can effectively enhance consumer purchase intention. For identity-symbolic green products, expressive aesthetics can effectively enhance consumer purchase intention.
Originality/value
Existing research suggests that aesthetic appearance can increase consumers’ evaluation of electronic products, beauty products and food, but the difference between aesthetics has not yet been explored. This research compares two aesthetics, contributing to the literature on aesthetic appearance in green products and offering valuable insights for managers’ green products marketing.
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Jie Meng and Fenghua Wu
As a crucial institutional form established since the Chinese economic reform, the system of competitive local governments has been shaping the characteristics of China's…
Abstract
Purpose
As a crucial institutional form established since the Chinese economic reform, the system of competitive local governments has been shaping the characteristics of China's socialist market economy to a considerable degree.
Design/methodology/approach
This study not only adopts the view of existing studies that attribute the economic motive of local governments to rent and consider land public finance as a means through which local governments carry out strategic investment but also attempts to further develop the view within a Marxist analytical framework.
Findings
As a result, the local governments have helped to maintain an incredibly high investment rate over a considerable period of time, facilitating the continuous, rapid growth of the Chinese economy.
Originality/value
This study concludes that China's local governments function as the productive allocator and user of rent in the strategic investment based on land public finance and thereby embed themselves in the relative surplus-value production initially arising from competition amongst enterprises, forming the dual structure of relative surplus-value production unique to China's economy.
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Xingyun Dai, Sicong Dai and Kemin Wang
Prior research has documented that managers take opportunistic timing activities to influence the exercise prices of executive stock options (ESOs). This paper aims to add to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior research has documented that managers take opportunistic timing activities to influence the exercise prices of executive stock options (ESOs). This paper aims to add to the literature by investigating whether such behavior is mitigated by the exercise price regulation of China.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 132 ESO reports between 2006 and 2010 in China, the authors explore whether the regulation takes effect by examining stock price movements and companies' information disclosures around the report dates.
Findings
Consistent with the conjecture that the regulation could not effectively limit managers' opportunistic behavior, the authors find that the abnormal returns decrease slowly until ten trading days before the report dates, increase gradually subsequently, and rise dramatically just after the report dates. Particularly, the return pattern is more pronounced when corporate governance is weaker. The authors also find that managers opportunistically time ESO reports based on their private information. In particular, more (less) favorable (negative) news announcements occur after the report dates than beforehand. Additionally, compared to earnings announcements, managers prefer to time ESO reports with information about forward‐looking earnings and security issuances.
Originality/value
These results suggest that the regulation could not effectively constrain managers from influencing the exercise prices. The paper also provides evidence that imperfect regulations under asymmetric information may lead to additional agency costs, especially when corporate governance is weak. The authors' findings can contribute to the improvement of regulations on ESOs.
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Guocheng Xiang, Jingjing Liu and Yuxuan Yang
The modernization of China’s economy is an integral part of Chinese-style modernization. According to the principle of unifying…
Abstract
Purpose
The modernization of China’s economy is an integral part of Chinese-style modernization. According to the principle of unifying theoretical, historical and practical logic, theoretically explaining the modernization of China’s economy is both a political necessity and a higher scientific requirement.
Design/methodology/approach
Following this evolutionary line – from modes of production to the general economic development mechanism and then to patterns of economic operation and development – this paper employs the principal contradiction analysis method to offer an interpretation of China’s economic modernization from the broad Marxist political economy perspective.
Findings
In economic terms, “get organized” primarily refers to the development and mutual promotion of team-based and market-based division of labor organizations, as discussed by Karl Marx. “Get organized” (specifically the development of team-based division of labor organizations) acts as the engine of China’s economic modernization and serves as the historical logical starting point. Division of labor is the theoretical logical starting point for interpreting China’s economic modernization. The two of them are congruent, achieving the unity of theoretical and historical logic at the starting point. The development and mutual promotion of these “two types of division of labor” inherently generate the general mechanism of economic development first comprehensively discussed by Marx and Friedrich Engels, which involves the division of labor development and market expansion accumulating cyclically and reinforcing each other. This mechanism drives both the high-speed and high-quality development of China’s economic modernization.
Originality/value
The broad Marxist political economy paradigm facilitates explaining China’s economic modernization theoretically, historically and practically with unified logic. “Get organized” serves as both the engine and the realization mechanism of this modernization, with the Communist Party of China (CPC) consistently being the core force of this organizational effort.
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The purpose of this paper is to present an alternative platform, namely the Metaverse, to enhance and revolutionize the concept of living library experiences. The fourth…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an alternative platform, namely the Metaverse, to enhance and revolutionize the concept of living library experiences. The fourth industrial revolution has disseminated many innovative human experiences since the rapid development of modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, virtual/augmented realities, blockchain, cloud computing and so on. Various combinations of these technologies have triggered newer tools and platforms for human beings. One of these combinations, perhaps the most unique and holistic case, is the Metaverse, which promises to offer immersive experiences for users. Many stakeholders have been discussing alternative applications of Metaverse platforms, and many developers have attempted to optimize this new technology. Libraries, as the central hub of human intellectuality, will not be an exception to Metaverse integration.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors undertook a meticulous examination of an extensive array of scholarly works across various databases to construct a comprehensive literature review. This exhaustive exploration encompassed databases spanning disciplines such as education, psychology, sociology, economics, ICT and so on, and included renowned platforms like PubMed, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore, among others.
Findings
In this paper, the authors concentrate on an alternative form of libraries: “living libraries,” where people share their experiences, knowledge and wisdom with others like a living book. Moreover, the authors discuss how the Metaverse and living libraries intersect and create an alternative sharing platform. The paper presents several illustrative scenarios for diffusing living libraries into Metaverse platforms. Finally, the paper articulates the possible challenges that this intersection may present to the current condition.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first papers combining two innovative concepts: Metaverse and living library and suggests alternative scenarios for real-life experiences.
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Flavian Emmanuel Sapnken, Benjamin Salomon Diboma, Ali Khalili Tazehkandgheshlagh, Mohammed Hamaidi, Prosper Gopdjim Noumo, Yong Wang and Jean Gaston Tamba
This paper addresses the challenges associated with forecasting electricity consumption using limited data without making prior assumptions on normality. The study aims to enhance…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper addresses the challenges associated with forecasting electricity consumption using limited data without making prior assumptions on normality. The study aims to enhance the predictive performance of grey models by proposing a novel grey multivariate convolution model incorporating residual modification and residual genetic programming sign estimation.
Design/methodology/approach
The research begins by constructing a novel grey multivariate convolution model and demonstrates the utilization of genetic programming to enhance prediction accuracy by exploiting the signs of forecast residuals. Various statistical criteria are employed to assess the predictive performance of the proposed model. The validation process involves applying the model to real datasets spanning from 2001 to 2019 for forecasting annual electricity consumption in Cameroon.
Findings
The novel hybrid model outperforms both grey and non-grey models in forecasting annual electricity consumption. The model's performance is evaluated using MAE, MSD, RMSE, and R2, yielding values of 0.014, 101.01, 10.05, and 99% respectively. Results from validation cases and real-world scenarios demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model. The combination of genetic programming and grey convolution model offers a significant improvement over competing models. Notably, the dynamic adaptability of genetic programming enhances the model's accuracy by mimicking expert systems' knowledge and decision-making, allowing for the identification of subtle changes in electricity demand patterns.
Originality/value
This paper introduces a novel grey multivariate convolution model that incorporates residual modification and genetic programming sign estimation. The application of genetic programming to enhance prediction accuracy by leveraging forecast residuals represents a unique approach. The study showcases the superiority of the proposed model over existing grey and non-grey models, emphasizing its adaptability and expert-like ability to learn and refine forecasting rules dynamically. The potential extension of the model to other forecasting fields is also highlighted, indicating its versatility and applicability beyond electricity consumption prediction in Cameroon.
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Trade and environment are essential issues closely related to the development of the national economy and the improvement of people’s livelihood in the new era. The Report to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Trade and environment are essential issues closely related to the development of the national economy and the improvement of people’s livelihood in the new era. The Report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) listed the construction of a strong trading power as an important part of building a modern economic system and pollution prevention and treatment as one of the three key battles to win the decisive victory of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. However, the relationship between trade and environmental pollution is still very controversial in the existing literature, and there is a paucity of literature on the relationship between trade and environmental pollution based on micro data.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper merged China’s Firm-Level Pollution Database with China’s Industrial Enterprise Database and China’s industry tariff rates. Additionally, by virtue of the quasi-natural experiment of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), a difference in difference (DID) model was constructed to alleviate the endogeneity issue.
Findings
According to the results, the trade barrier decrease (trade liberalization) significantly reduces the intensity of SO2 emissions, a major pollutant of enterprises, as the intensity of SO2 emissions decreased 2.16% for each unit decrease of the trade barrier. The analysis of the mechanisms shows that the SO2 emission intensity of enterprises is mainly due to the decrease of enterprises’ pollution emission rather than the decrease of output, and the decrease of enterprises’ pollution emission is mainly caused by the enterprises’ cleaner production process rather than the end treatment of pollution emission. The decrease of coal use intensity is an important mechanism of the decrease of SO2 emission intensity caused by the decrease of trade barriers. Among the technical effects of the change of the trade barrier affecting enterprises’ pollution emission, biased technical change rather than neutral technical change dominates.
Originality/value
The findings of this paper imply that expanding openness can enhance China’s social welfare not only through the economic growth mechanisms identified in the classical literature, but also through environmental improvements. This provides useful policy insights for promoting the construction of a strong trading power and winning the battle against pollution in the new era.