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The invention and use of mobile commerce (m-commerce) technology have progressed in recent years. In small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the decision to implement business-to-business m-commerce is a multiple-criteria decision analysis problem that involves both qualitative and quantitative factors, and its evaluation may be based on imprecise information or uncertain data. Furthermore, there may be significant dependences or important feedback among different levels of criteria or alternatives. However, most conventional decision models cannot capture these complex interrelationships. The purpose of this paper is to adopt a new hybrid multiple attribute decision model (MADM) model to evaluate the implementation of business-to-business m-commerce by SMEs in Taiwan to enhance the thinking of management and improve decision gaps.

In this study, the authors present the use of a new hybrid MADM combined with a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to construct an influential network relationship map (INRM) and find the influential weights of DANP (DEMATEL-based ANP) in criteria from the influential relationship matrix, and the modified VIKOR method using influential weights to evaluate and integrate the criteria performance in the gaps and to analyze how to reduce the gaps to evaluate the decision to implement business-to-business m-commerce by SMEs based on INRM.

The findings of using the new hybrid MADM model can efficiently and successfully be applied to the business-to-business m-commerce of SMEs to improve and reduce the performance gaps among each criterion/aspect when setting improvement strategies for achieving an aspiration level based on INRM.

This study achieves the following: successfully building a decision network (called an influential network relation map (INRM)) of the technological advances and implementations of business-to-business m-commerce for solving the inter-dependence and feedback of criteria/aspects in the real world problem; how changing effective solutions from existing performance of situations/alternatives into aspiration levels to fit the current competitive markets in the business-to-business m-commerce of SMEs; and efficiently shifting from ranking and selection when determining the most preferable approaches to performance improvement by modified VIKOR methods.

The aim is to investigate the effects of the first financial restructuring (FFR) on productivity growth, technical progress and efficiency change, using data from 42 commercial banks in Taiwan from 2001 to 2004.

Data envelopment analysis is applied to compute the Malmquist index of productivity change.

It is found that Taiwan commercial banks on average experienced a 117.39 percent increase in productivity growth, of which is 2.11 percent is due to efficiency change and 115.28 percent to technical progress over the four year period. In addition, during the four year period, a 1 percent reduction in the nonperforming loan ratio resulted in 1.85 percent growth in productivity; a 1 percent increase in the capital adequacy ratio led to 2.15 percent growth in productivity.

It can be concluded that after the FFR, the productivity growth, technical progress, and efficiency change all improve, with the lower nonperforming loan ratio contributing to this improved performance.

The study provides evidence of the productivity change of the banking industry in Taiwan in response to the FFR. It also contributes additional empirical evidence on the impact of a reform on bank productivity in a developing country.

Improvement of flexibility is among the top concerns of manufacturing managers, however, managers are advised to choose the appropriate types of flexibility needed in their plants. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of manufacturing proactiveness dimensions (manufacturing involvement, commitment to manufacturing technology advancements and multi‐skilled workforce developments, and manufacturing's integration with marketing and design functions) on three types of manufacturing flexibility (new product, volume, and product mix).

Using the data collected from 108 motherboard manufacturers in Taiwan, this study develops valid and reliable measures of manufacturing proactiveness and flexibility. The study used multiple regression analysis to examine how different proactiveness dimensions link with specific types of manufacturing flexibility.

The study found that manufacturing involvement, multi‐skilled workforce developments, and manufacturing/design integration have significant positive effects on new product flexibility. Statistical results indicated that manufacturing technology advancements, multi‐skilled workforce developments, and manufacturing/design integration lead to better product mix flexibility. In addition, manufacturing involvement, manufacturing technology advancements, and manufacturing/marketing collaboration are determinants of volume flexibility. This research provides deeper insights regarding the impact of manufacturing flexibility upon the proactiveness programs.

This research focuses on the effect of manufacturing proactiveness only on external manufacturing flexibility. It does not address the issue of internal manufacturing flexibility. The use of a single indicator for the manufacturing flexibility measure may limit the generalization of the statistical results.

These findings have two main managerial implications. With rigorous and comprehensive measures of proactiveness, investigations of its impact on competitive priorities (e.g. delivery, cost, and quality) are issues to be addressed in future studies of manufacturing strategy. Outcomes of the research also enable practitioners to implement the appropriate practices of manufacturing proactiveness based on the specific types of manufacturing flexibility which their plants require.

The uniqueness of this paper is twofold. It is the only empirical study to explore the relationship between manufacturing proactiveness and flexibility from the manufacturing strategy process aspect. This may inspire researchers to focus on other related process issues such as the effect of supplier or customer involvement on manufacturing flexibility. The study also generated five dimensions of manufacturing proactiveness that differ from previous empirical works which overlooked the critical factors of manufacturing/design integration and manufacturing/marketing collaboration. Future researchers and practitioners should be able to apply these results to study and assess related issues of manufacturing proactiveness more rigorously and precisely.

Studies on cross-culture marketing often focus on either localization or globalization strategies. Based on data from pre-communist China (1912–1949), product hybridization – defined as a process or strategy that generates symbols, designs, behaviors and cultural identities that blend local and global elements – emerges as a popular intermediate strategy worthy of further inquiry. After examining the mechanisms and processes underlying this strategy, a schema for classifying product hybridization strategies is developed and illustrated. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Critical historical research method is applied to historical data and historical “traces” from pre-communist China’s corporate documents, memoirs, posters, advertisements, newspapers and secondhand sources.

Strategic interactions between domestic and foreign companies in pre-communist China fostered products and a city (Shanghai) containing Chinese and non-Chinese elements. Informed by historical traces and data from pre-communist China (1912-1949), a 2 × 2 classification schema relating company type (i.e. foreign or domestic) to values spectrum endpoint (i.e. domestic vs foreign) was formulated. This schema reflects the value of communication, negotiation and cultural (inter)penetration that accompanies cross-culture product flows.

Cross-culture marketing strategies meant to help companies satisfy diverse marketplace interests can induce a mélange of product design elements. Because product hybridization reflects reciprocity between domestic and foreign companies that embodies multiple interests and contrasting interpretations of product meanings, researchers should examine globalization and localization synergistically.

Strategies adopted by domestic and foreign companies in pre-communist China (1912–1949) can help contemporary companies design effective cross-culture marketing strategies in a global marketplace infused with competing meanings and interests.

Examining historical strategies adopted in pre-communist China (1912–1949) can inform contemporary marketers’ intuitions. Understanding product hybridization in global marketplaces can improve marketing efficiency.

This study aims to improve the maneuverability and stability of four-wheel chassis in a small paddy field; a front axle swing steering four-wheel chassis with optimal steering is designed.

When turning, the front inner wheel stops and the rear inner wheel is in the following state. The hydraulic drive system of the walking wheel adopts a driving mode in which two front-wheel motors are connected in series and two rear wheel motors in parallel. The chassis uses a combination of a gasoline engine with a water cooling system, a CVT continuously variable transmission and a hydraulic drive system to increase the control capability. The front axle rotary chassis adopts a step-less variable speed engine and a hydraulic control system to solve the hydraulic stability of the chassis in uphill and downhill conditions so as to effectively control the over-speed of the wheel-side drive motors. Through the quadratic orthogonal rotation combination design test, the mathematical models of uphill and downhill front-wheel pressures and test factors are established.

The results show that the chassis stability is optimal when the back pressure is 0.5 MPa, and the rotating slope is 4°. The uphill and downhill pressures of the front wheels are 2.38 MPa and 1.5 MPa, respectively.

The influence of external changes on the pressure of hydraulic motors is studied through experiments, which lays the foundation for further research.

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature on transnational education (TNE) as a form of business relationship and reflects on the experience of a mid‐ranking post‐92 UN institution in developing and managing TNE programmes in China. It seeks to highlight the challenges encountered at the various stages of partnership development and evaluate the effectiveness of the practical measures taken.

The underpinning research employs a combination of longitudinal live case study tracing the history of three of the institution's TNE partnerships in China over the past ten years and action research involving the author both as the researcher and active participant.

This paper suggests that there is no set formula for initiating a Sino‐UK TNE partnership but personal connections and Chinese speaking staff would help to increase the chance of success. At the outset it is important to work out the precise form of partnership and its associated financial implications for both parties. Whilst cultural differences and differences in educational tradition, communication style and organisational practices are among the factors affecting the operation of a TNE partnership over its life‐cycle, changes in macro‐economic factors such as exchange rate can also lead to termination of a TNE project. Partners in a TNE relationship are therefore advised to develop an exit strategy in case things do not work out.

Based on the actual experiences of a real UK institution, the challenges identified in this paper are likely to be encountered by similar UK institutions operating in China and thus the solutions discussed may be adopted or adapted.

Managing IT with firm performance (FM) has always been a debatable topic in literature and practice. Prior studies examining the above relationship have reported mixed results and have yet ignored the eminent managing IT practices. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relevance of Val-IT 2.0 practice in managing IT investment, and its mediating role in the FM context.

This paper is developed on two themes of literature. First, managing IT as a firm’s IT capability in order to generate value from IT investment. Second, IT as a firm’s resource under resource-based view offers firm’s competence that deploys potentials in achieving FM. The structural equation modeling with partial least squares techniques used for analyzing data collected from 176 organization’s IT, and business executives in China.

The results of this study show empirical evidence that Val-IT’s components (value governance, portfolio management, and investment management) are significantly linked to the management of IT (MIT), and it found to be a significant mediator between Val-IT components and FM.

This research contributes to the literature and practice by way of highlighting the value generation through managing IT on FM.

This study is fully based on Val-IT 2.0 with the FM where the managing IT mediate this relationship in a country-specific study in China. This study adds to the Chinese information system literature which suffers the lack of empirical studies in the context of MIT research.

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the barriers to innovation in Chinese small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Interviews with 39 SME owner‐managers, industry bodies and relevant government authorities were gathered and analysed.

The key finding is that Chinese SMEs may be at risk of being stuck in a high‐level equilibrium trap and that the improving macro‐environment might not change embedded innovation constraining hierarchical management and guanxi networking.

Key contribution is the characterisation of Chinese SMEs as stuck in an equilibrium trap along with a description of the conditions that cause it. Importantly, this paper explores these issues by juxtaposing macro‐environment conditions with the rational firm‐level behaviours that they prompt.

China has become an economic powerhouse in historic terms but there are a number of challenges to its continued prosperity. The aim of this paper is to more fully understand China's propensity for creative innovation, which is seen as an important next stage in its continued development.

The paper is conceptual but uses historical and secondary data to support its assumptions. The paper was written in conjunction with the 1st Global Peter F. Drucker Forum (celebrating 100 years since his birth) and attempts to continue his challenge of “the hard work of thinking”.

China has a long history of successful innovation. However, Confucian belief, a single despot and a closing off to the rest of the world have thwarted its innovative edge. The key to rekindling the entrepreneurial spirit is seen largely as an internal battle based on the state's ability to balance the institution of government with the needs of a burgeoning prospective creative class. This paper identifies that much of this change will rely on quality‐related developments rather than simply investments of financial capital.

The ability to create new things is a challenge to developing economies that rely on low cost and imitation. China's success in innovation will have substantial implications for developed nations both economically and geo‐politically. China wants to be a significant player on a global scale and this paper sheds light on its potential to achieve such an objective. Through traversing China's innovative landscape, this paper also enlightens the field of management on key aspects of China's innovative past, present and future.

The labour turnover rate is in general 10 per cent in China. Although this rate is especially high for blue collar workers, fluctuation among qualified employees and managers is high as well. As a result, the economic development has led to high competition on the Chinese market. Moreover, companies also have to deal with lack of employees – especially highly qualified ones. The purpose of this paper is to figure out the impact of fringe benefits on the labour turnover rate of Chinese professionals.

The study subjects were 14 managers working for private companies in the Shanghai region. The authors conducted semi‐structured interviews as the primary data collection procedure to investigate reasons, opinions, and views about fringe benefits and employees' loyalty to their organisations.

The paper outlines highly diverse perspectives about fringe benefits. Furthermore, the authors show a series of reasons for labour turnover and motivators of Chinese professionals.

This paper contributes to the compensation literature by analyzing the relation between fringe benefits and loyalty of Chinese professionals. Moreover, it shows to what extent fringe benefits influence labour turnover in China. It also presents the preferred fringe benefits of employees in Chinese companies.