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The aim of this research is to quantitatively synthesize empirical findings of the effect of discount level on consumer response to the coupon.

The authors used the meta-analysis method to synthesize coupons' discount level effects on consumer response. Meta-regression was used to examine the moderating factors that affect the relationship between discount level and consumer response.

The average effect size of the discount level is 0.331, indicating that higher discount levels lead to higher consumer responses. The effect of discount level on consumer response to the coupon is stronger when the discount is displayed in proportion format (vs amount format), when consumers are distant (vs near) to the coupon-issuing stores, and when consumers have not opted-in to receive promotional information. The discount level effect is weaker for coupons that can be redeemed online (vs offline only), for hedonic products (vs utilitarian products) and for products of real brands.

From information processing and cost–benefit trade-off perspectives, this research proposes a comprehensive research framework that synthesizes a variety of contextual factors. It identifies several contextual factors that may reconcile several inconsistent findings in the existing literature. It also addresses how the new-technology related factors affect coupon redemption under different discount levels.

Although extensive research has been conducted on precast production, irregular component loading constraints have received little attention, resulting in limitations for transportation cost optimization. Traditional irregular component loading methods are based on past performance, which frequently wastes vehicle space. Additionally, real-time road conditions, precast component assembly times, and delivery vehicle waiting times due to equipment constraints at the construction site affect transportation time and overall transportation costs. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an optimization model for Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery of precast components considering 3D loading constraints, real-time road conditions and assembly time.

In order to propose a JIT (just-in-time) delivery optimization model, the effects of the sizes of irregular precast components, the assembly time, and the loading methods are considered in the 3D loading constraint model. In addition, for JIT delivery, incorporating real-time road conditions in the transportation process is essential to mitigate delays in the delivery of precast components. The 3D precast component loading problem is solved by using a hybrid genetic algorithm which mixes the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm.

A real case study was used to validate the JIT delivery optimization model. The results indicated this study contributes to the optimization of strategies for loading irregular precast components and the reduction of transportation costs by 5.38%.

This study establishes a JIT delivery optimization model with the aim of reducing transportation costs by considering 3D loading constraints, real-time road conditions and assembly time. The irregular precast component is simplified into 3D bounding box and loaded with three-space division heuristic packing algorithm. In addition, the hybrid algorithm mixing the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm is to solve the 3D container loading problem, which provides both global search capability and the ability to perform local searching. The JIT delivery optimization model can provide decision-makers with a more comprehensive and economical strategy for loading and transporting irregular precast components.

In 2016, the Chinese central government decentralized the responsibilities of housing market regulation to the municipal level. This paper aims to assess whether the decentralized market regulation is effective.

This study first investigates the fundamental drivers of urban housing prices in China. Taking into consideration the factors driving housing prices, the authors further investigate the effectiveness of decentralized housing market regulation by a pre- and post-policy comparison test using a panel data set of 35 major cities for the years from 2014 to 2019.

The results reveal heterogenous policy effects on housing price growth among cities with a one-year lag in effectiveness. With the decentralized housing market regulation, cities with fast price growth are incentivized to implement tightening measures, while cities with relatively low housing prices and slow price growth are more likely to do nothing or deregulate the markets. The findings indicate that the shift from a centralized housing market regulation to a decentralized one is more appropriate and effective for the individual cities.

Few policy evaluation studies have been done to examine the effects of decentralized housing market regulation on the performance of urban housing markets in China. The authors devise a methodology to conduct a policy evaluation that is important to inform public policy and decisions. This study helps enhance the understanding of the fundamental factors in China’s urban housing markets and the effectiveness of municipal government interventions.

This study aims to merge the world’s proven ways of housing finance, including musharakah mutanaqisah, housing cooperatives and real estate crowdfunding, to present an alternative housing unaffordability solution based on the Islamic finance principle. It is intended to reduce the burden of funding for both sides (consumers and developers) and create win–win chances for all stakeholders, including intermediaries. By moving away from debt financing and merging the features of crowdfunding and cooperative, it is hopeful that the burden of home ownership will no longer be the case.

This paper presents the opinions of potential Chinese homebuyers (minority Muslims and most non-Muslims) and a few industry experts toward the proposed model via a mixed research method.

According to the findings, the majority of respondents agreed with the proposed paradigm. Just concerned that China’s lack of community culture and trust could pose a major threat to implementation. However, this paper argues that Chinese local governments may perform pilot testing in places where Islamic culture is prevalent. Their unique community culture and fundamental understanding of Shariah law may affect the viability of the proposed model.

The proposed model would increase the applicability of Islamic finance as a way of protecting the social order of communities in the spirit of upholding justice and fairness. A new type of housing loan based on musharakah mutanaqisah may squeeze out the real estate bubble and provide stakeholders with a multidimensional investment channel. In particular, the study identifies the impact of Chinese Islamic financing on government and cultural needs. It presents possible challenges for implementing the proposed model in reality and helps bridge the gap between theory and practice.

This study aims to investigate the dynamic co-movement and interconnection among 69 security investment indices in China using the multi-time scale framework.

The authors first use the multiple coherence analysis method to exhibit the degree of relationships among the variables under study. In addition, the wavelet multiple correlation and wavelet multiple cross-correlation analyses are used to examine the time-frequency synchronization interdependence structure among the variables.

From the empirical findings, one may infer less opportunity for portfolio diversification at higher time scales. Obviously, at these scales, the authors find that the 69 Chinese investment indices generate a simple security investment class, as indicated by higher interconnection between the indices.

Further research can increase the sample size to re-investigate the empirical relationship for security investment indices.

In the nutshell, the results demonstrate the potential for Chinese investors to invest in security investment indices to earn from portfolio diversification at lower time frequencies. The Chinese investment market indices under study yield further opportunities of portfolio diversification toward the short-term investors than the long-term investors.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the dynamic co-movement and interconnection for security investment indices in China.

This paper aims to develop and estimate a logit model of whether homeownership could be promoted by participation in and use of the Housing Provident Fund (HPF) program, with a focus on factors that influence the use of HPF loans.

This paper develops and estimates a logit model of whether homeownership could be promoted by participation in and use of the HPF program, with a focus on factors that influence the use of HPF loans.

The results show that coefficients of marital status, educational level, age, duration of employment and employer are significantly related to the use of HPF loan for homeownership.

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability.

The research findings provide a better understanding of homeowners’ characteristics.

To manage the HPF program effectively, it is important for government to have a better understanding of the underlying demand for homeownership, especially with respect to the different demographic variables and accessibility to HPF loans and the HPF.

Based on consumers’ geographic real-time locations, firms can utilize mobile targeting promotion (MTP) to target consumers through some applications embedded in mobile device. This paper aims to focus on two competing firms about how to make MTP strategies under asymmetric mobile accessibilities, i.e. the proportions of consumers who can be targeted by firms through apps are different.

This paper develops a game model for two competing firms. Aiming to maximizing profit, firms should consider how to utilize MTP strategies to trade off the benefit (expand market share) and the cost (intensive price competition).

The optimal MTP strategies and equilibrium prices have been presented under different scenarios. This paper verifies that asymmetry can make the firm with high mobile accessibility obtain extra profits. Furthermore, when unit targeting cost is relatively low, profit of the firm with low mobile accessibility increases first and decreases later with respect to its mobile accessibility.

Competing firms’ optimal MTP strategies and equilibrium prices are determined not only by unit targeting cost but also by consumers’ mobile accessibilities to firms. Firms have strong incentive to enlarge the mobile accessibility to procure more profit in monopoly context, but, under competing context, a higher mobile accessibility may not mean better for firm.

This is one of the few papers which study mobile targeting based on game theory considering unit targeting cost and asymmetric mobile accessibility simultaneously.

Fabrics with photothermal conversion functions were developed based on the introduction of shape stable composite phase change materials (CPCMs).

Acidified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were selected as support material to prepare CPCMs with n-octadecane to improve the thermal conductivity and shape stability. The CPCMs were finished onto the surface of cotton fabric through the coating and screen-printing method. The chemical properties of CPCMs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, XRD and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The shape stability and thermal conductivity were also evaluated. In addition, the photothermal conversion and temperature-regulating performance of the finished fabrics were analyzed.

When the addition amount of acidified SWCNTs are 14% to the mass of n-octadecane, the best shape stability of CPCMs is obtained. DSC analysis shows that the latent heat energy storage of CPCMs is as high as 183.1 J/g. The thermal conductivity is increased by 84.4% compared with that of n-octadecane. The temperature-regulating fabrics coated with CPCMs have good photothermal conversion properties.

CPCMs with high latent heat properties are applied to the fabric surface through screen printing technology, which not only gives the fabric the photothermal conversion performance but also reflects the design of personalized patterns.

CPCMs and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are mixed to make printing paste and printed cotton fabric with temperature-regulating functional is developed.

SWCNTs and n-octadecane are composited to prepare CPCMs with excellent thermal properties, which can be mixed with PDMS to make printing paste without adding other pastes. The fabric is screen-printed to obtain a personalized pattern and can be given a thermoregulatory function.

This study aims to investigate dynamic relationships among residential housing price indices of ten major Chinese cities for the years 2005–2021.

Using monthly data, this study uses vector error correction modeling and the directed acyclic graph for characterization of contemporaneous causality among the ten indices.

The PC algorithm identifies the causal pattern and the Linear Non-Gaussian Acyclic Model algorithm further determines the causal path, from which this study conducts innovation accounting analysis. Sophisticated price dynamics are found in price adjustment processes following price shocks, which are generally dominated by the top tiers of cities.

This study suggests that policies on residential housing prices in the long run might need to be planned with particular attention paid to these top tiers of cities.

The purpose of this paper is to find an effective route to fabricate high transparent top electrode in quantum dots light-emitting diodes (QLEDs).

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) top cathode with high transparency have been deposited by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method at 140°C for 1 h. The products are studied by UV-vis spectrometer and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The electroluminescence spectra of QLED are recorded using an Ocean Optics high-resolution spectrometer (HR4000). The devices were measured under ambient conditions without encapsulation.

The AZO-based QLED shows excellent performance with high luminance and current efficiency.

The AZO obtained by ALD method is a promising cathode candidate for application in QLEDs.