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Precise and rigorous international comparative research requires methodological reflections and determinations at each step of the empirical research process. This chapter analyzes the precision and rigor of international comparative higher education research by diagnosing their comparative methodology, particularly their country selection and case sampling. It evaluates 202 studies that have been published in journals of both higher education and comparative education, because international comparative higher education intellectually and institutionally intersects both interdisciplinary fields. The major empirical findings show a relative lack of explicit and elaborate justification strategies, as well as a lack of comparative methodology. But they also show that the intellectual and institutional context, represented here in the form of the journals, influences the implementation of comparative methodology. The use of comparative methodologies is more thorough in the context of comparative education, where a continuous debate about the theoretical and methodological aspects of comparative studies takes place. One of the implications of the study is that the debate regarding comparative methodologies within higher education research should be intensified.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the superiority of comparative evaluation or relative attitudinal measurement approach in which the respondent evaluates one object with direct comparison with other objects. The study uses comparative and non-comparative approaches to examine the effects of service quality, value, and customer satisfaction on attitudinal loyalty in a service setting.

The study uses the data collected from the survey of 300 customers of two large Indian banks.

The results provide partial support to the superiority of the comparative evaluation over non-comparative evaluation. Additionally, results indicate that service quality positively affects customer value, and both service quality and customer value have a direct positive effect on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction drives attitudinal loyalty which in turn leads to customers’ willingness to pay more.

In the study, two banks were used for comparative evaluation. Since consumers’ consideration set can consist of more than two alternatives, future studies can include more than two objects.

Non-comparative measurements do not always adequately explain customer loyalty and superior performance of firms. This could potentially lead to misinterpretations of effects of service quality improvement programs and thus sub-optimal management decisions. Managers should use comparative evaluation approach for measuring marketing variables wherever possible.

Although the use of comparative evaluation is suggested in the literature (Dick and Basu, 1994), extant research has not systematically examined its superiority over non-comparative evaluation. This study empirically tests the comparative evaluation approach against the non-comparative approach by examining a comprehensive model involving the interrelationships among service quality, value, customer satisfaction, and their impact on attitudinal loyalty and willingness to pay more.

The purpose of this study is to test the viability of comparative advertising in Chile.

Data were collected via controlled experimentation. The study employed a 3 (comparative advertising intensity: noncomparative, indirect comparative, and direct comparative)×2 (product category involvement: low, high)×2 (sponsor brand's relative market share: market leader, other brand) between‐subjects factorial design.

The results suggest that direct and indirect comparative advertisements are not more effective than noncomparative advertisements in Chile. Additionally, data do not support the idea that the effect of comparative advertising intensity is moderated by the product category involvement and/or by the sponsor brand's relative market share. Since comparative advertising was not shown to be more effective than noncomparative advertising, the authors hypothesize that it is due to cultural biases and the novelty of comparative advertising in Latin America, as expressed through negative message believability.

While experimental research is not sufficient to establish the generalized non‐superiority of comparative advertising in the region, the results support the idea that comparative advertising might not be more effective than noncomparative advertising for many marketing campaigns in Latin America.

Several recent studies have investigated international differences in advertising practices. Most of these address advertising in general, leaving the transferability of comparative advertising practices largely unexplored (White Nye et al.). Analyzing the case of Latin America is highly relevant due to the limited development that exists with respect to comparative advertising in the region.

Although there have been many research articles about how to measure service quality, how service quality perceptions are formed, what effect service quality has on behavior, and service quality’s financial impact, there has been little discussion to date of the potential impact of service quality on competitive marketing decisions. This paper considers directly the issue of how an analysis of the impact of comparative service quality can inform tactical marketing decisions in a competitive marketplace. We propose and empirically demonstrate a simple theoretical framework of how market share changes result from changes in service quality, by the focal firm and/or by a competitor. In addition we show how price changes trade‐off against changes in service quality, and how comparative customer value is affected by changes in service quality and/or price. Our framework enables us to evaluate the projected market share shifts produced by proactive changes in service quality and/or price, and also enables us to evaluate the projected effectiveness of reactions to competitors’ changes in service quality and price. For example, our framework suggests that a quickly‐implemented increase in service quality (rather than a matching price cut) may sometimes be an effective tactical response to a competitor’s price cut. We illustrate the implementation of our framework on actual longitudinal industry data. We show how the market share impact of changes in service quality and/or price can be projected, and how this information can be used to drive competitive marketing decisions.

Waste can be converted to a high-value asset if treated properly with smart solutions. The purpose of this research is to identify critical barriers hindering smart waste management (SWM) implementation in developing economies using comparative analysis and a mixed-method approach. The objective of this work is to provide exhaustive insight including the smart cities projects to discuss the deferring parameters toward IoT-enabled waste management systems.

To accomplish the objective, the present study followed mixed-method approach consisting of two phases: In the first qualitative phase, barriers in the adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) for SWM were identified using extensive literature review and discussion with selected experts. In the second phase, the quantitative analysis using the Fuzzy DEMATEL (Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) method was performed on the selected barriers. The fuzzy DEMATEL methodology helps in prioritizing the most significant causal barrier by separating them into the cause-effect group. The comparative analysis was used to understand two different perceptions. To provide more detailed insight on the problems faced while implementing SWM in developing economies.

The results disclose that “Lack of government strict regulatory policies,” “Lack of proper financial planning” and “Lack of benchmarking processes” are the most critical causal barriers toward IoT-enabled SWM implementation that are hindering the vision of efficient and effective waste management system. Also, “Difficulty in implementing innovative technologies” and “Absence of Dynamic Scheduling and Routing” fall under the potential causal category. The effect barriers include “Lack of awareness among the community,” “Lack of source segregation and recycling commitment” and “Lack of service provider” as concluded in results considering the comparative analysis. The results can aid the policy-makers and stakeholders to identify the significant barriers toward a sustainable circular economy and mitigate them when implementing IoT-enable waste practices. Also, it assists to proactively build programs, policies, campaigns and other measures to attain a zero-waste economy.

The research is focused on the context of India but it provides new details which can be helpful for other developing economies to relate. The research addresses the call for studies from public-sector and citizen’s perspectives to understand the acknowledgment of SWM systems and critical success factors using qualitative and exploratory method analysis.

The practical implications of the study include strict regulatory policies and guidelines for SWM acceptance, proper financial administration and benchmarking waste-recycling practices (prominent causal barriers). The practical implication of the results includes assistance in smart city projects in handling barriers proactively. The “Lack of Benchmarking processes” provides a critical application to standardized recycling practices in developing economies to improve the quality of the recyclable material/product. The comparative analysis also provides in-depth reflection toward the causal barriers from both the perspective which can help the government and stakeholders to work in a unified manner and establish an efficient waste management system. The results also conclude the need for targeted training programs and workshops for field implementation of innovative technologies to overcome the causal barrier. Moreover, policy-makers should focus to improve source segregation and recycling practices and ensure dedicated communication campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to change the behavioral functioning of the community regarding waste. Lastly, developing economies struggle with the adequacy of resources to establish SWM systems, hence the authors conclude that proper financial planning is required at the ground level for smart city projects to overcome the spillover effects.

The social implications of the study include a reduction in pollution and efficient handling of waste resulting in a healthier and cleaner environment using IoT technology. Also, the results assist decision-makers in developing economies like India to establish smart city projects initiatives effectively to improve the quality of life. It proposes to establish standardized recycling processes for the better quality of recyclables and help in attaining a sustainable circular economy.

The research is novel as it provides comprehensive and comparative information regarding the barriers deferring SWM including the field barriers. To our consideration, the present study serves the first to address the comparative analysis of barriers in IoT-enabled waste systems and establish the relationship from both the perspective in middle-lower income economies. The study also suggests that the effect barriers can be overcome automatically by mitigating the causal barriers in the long run.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between trade diversion risk and new Halal market exploration.

This paper analyzes the Halal trade flows for Malaysia’s top 11 halal food/food-related commodities from 1967 to 2018 by relying on co-integration and auto-regression techniques.

This paper determines that the greater the country’s current comparative advantage in an exported good, the higher the risk of export diversion between the Halal and conventional markets. The diversion risk, however, disappears with a lower current comparative advantage.

To take advantage of the fast-emerging Halal market, a country should expand export of commodities with relatively low current comparative advantage but high demand in the target market, along with supportive trade policies to build competitiveness in the long term.

This study fills the gap in the literature by investigating if the theory of comparative advantage can predict the market diversification risk that may arise from the expansion of exports to the Halal market occurring alongside existing exports to the conventional market.

This study aims to attempt to understand the joint co-movement of bank deposit rate and its main underlying determinants (foreign exchange rate (FX) rate, cross-currency swap rate and implied forward rate). The authors also compare time and frequency variant approaches in this dynamic.

The authors examine bank deposit rates where multiple variables jointly interact, and the integration is time and frequency variant. The study applies both cointegration and wavelet coherence methods and conducts a comparative analysis. It investigates eight markets over 2005–2020 aiming to capture the impact of changing market conditions and degree of development.

The results are in line with cross-country interdependence, where we observe more robust evidence for co-movement during adverse economic conditions with higher correlation compared to other periods such as the 2007–2009 US mortgage crises, 2010–2012 Euro crises and 2019 pandemic. Moreover, wavelet analysis suggests deposit rate lags FX rate and leads cross-country swap rate. The USA arguably leads the co-movement accompanied briefly by Japan and followed closely by other developed markets and later the developing markets. Heat maps suggest clustering of countries.

The wavelet coherence's ability to indicate the periods and the frequencies of the relationship is essential to capture the true nature of the relationship. Such additional insight would enable the practitioners to determine the true price of the deposit rate.

The study captures the long suggested collective nature of three main underlying determinants of bank deposit. The results shed light on the order of dynamics in a complex bank deposit environment. Comparative analysis further highlights the valuable insight quadruple wavelet coherence provides.

This discussion essay describes three methodological models of comparative analysis and tests a dialogue between Bartolini, Bray, and Bonilla Molina. Bartolini explores a model that combines dimensions of spatial and temporal variation noting the emphasis dedicated to synchronous cross-sectional investigation, as well as the need to think of time as a dimension of variation, as history. Bartolini summarizes the sociological and historical literature creating a data matrix to which he adds a dimension of time and outlines the case study and development of the case, the development trend, the great development theory, and a synchronous comparison of development. Bray adds items to a greater degree of specificity ranging from the spatial dimension with specific geographical units organized by varying degrees, types, and levels. The comparative analysis of the multilevel schematic occurs by the combination of: geographic levels, location from macro to micro; nonspatial population levels of large ethnic diversity, religion and gender as well as aspects of education and society including teachers, curriculum, finance, management, education, and work. Molina Bonilla presents a dynamic multidimensional model that combines all the macro and micro dimensions of education: school as a political project and as a continent and a country on the planet; as a teaching–learning process from citizenship and democracy; as a process involving students, teachers, and parents; and as a product where the spatial and temporal dimensions from the geopolitical merge into a dynamic hub that crosses stories, capital, and labor. The latter, created to assess quality, is a synthesis of the theoretical and methodological as it provides a multitude of benefits for successful comparative analysis in today’s global and international context of education.

Purpose – Policymakers hope that comparative effectiveness research will identify examples of widely used therapies that are no better than less expensive alternatives and, consequently, reduce health care spending. Comparative effectiveness research is unlikely to reduce spending if physicians are quick to adopt effective treatments but slow to abandon ineffective ones.

Methodology/approach – We present a theoretical model that shows how physicians will adopt new treatments in response to positive evidence more readily than they abandon existing treatments in response to negative evidence if the marginal costs of production decline post-adoption. We report trends in the use of two common procedures, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with stable angina and routine episiotomy in vaginal childbirth, where comparative effectiveness research studies have failed to find evidence of a benefit.

Findings – Use of PCI and episiotomy have declined over time but are still excessive based on the standards implied by comparative effectiveness research.

Practical implications (if applicable) – The findings suggest that comparative effectiveness research has the potential to reduce costs but additional efforts are necessary to fully realize savings from abandonment.

Originality/value of chapter – There is a large literature on technological adoption in health care, but few studies address technological abandonment. Understanding abandonment is important for efforts to decrease health care costs by reducing use of ineffective but costly treatments.

Conventional wisdom has it that policymakers rationally approach an ongoing or potential problem, carefully consider the reasons for the problem, and then sensibly debate the information and research on this problem. The final stage of this ideal vision of the educational policymaking process is that the policymakers decide how to solve specific problems based on their consideration of all of the relevant data and possible options (Vickers, 1994). This is rarely, if ever, the case.