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The authors provide an example of a group of online shoppers exploiting a pricing mistake and exploring the drivers of predatory shopping that may harm online retailers. This paper aims to examine the role of social vigilantism, proactivity and self-presentation in driving individual predatory shopping behaviors and delivers a broader understanding of how these behaviors develop in online communities.

The authors use a mixed-methods sequential research model. In Study 1, the authors explore predatory shopping by using a netnographic textual approach to analyze an online forum engaging in predatory shopping. In Study 2, the authors empirically analyze the uncovered conceptual findings using the PROCESS macro.

Customers who engage in predatory shopping online exhibit social vigilantism when communicating their views to others and proactively seeking out pricing mistakes and opportunities. Customers engaging in predatory shopping adapt their presentation online to increase their chances of success; this effect is strengthened by the online disinhibition effect.

Predatory shoppers can actively seek out pricing mistakes online, encourage participation and exploit mistakes by adapting their self-presentation. Therefore, online retailers should be proactive and consistent when communicating with customers and collaborating to deter predatory shopping. In addition, online retailers should focus on building advocates in communities to prevent harm from predatory shoppers online.

Online predatory shopping is explored qualitatively and quantitatively to understand the propensities that can drive predatory behavior and provide warning signs for online retailers. In addition, the effects of predatory shopping drivers are analyzed in the presence of the online disinhibition effect.

The purpose of this study is to examine Indian language journals published in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) included in the UGC-CARE list, which is an initiative of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India. This study argues that although these journals do not appear in international databases, they are valuable because they frequently publish and have published for years, opinions, memoirs and critical review articles, especially the local culture.

This study examines 298 journals categorised into two groups: monolingual (189) and multilingual (109). The first group included 189 journals published in 15 Indian languages. Monolingual journals were examined using five criteria: year of publication, subject area, frequency, language and geographical zone of the publisher. Multilingual journals analysed as per languages covered.

The analysis reveals that the UGC-CARE List includes journals published between 1899 and 2019. The most common languages are Hindi (67), Urdu (31), Sanskrit (9) and Marathi (26). The frequency of majority (114) of journals is quarterly. Associations, universities, individual publishers and learned societies as publishers are dominant. Analysis of multilingual journals indicated that the highest number of journals (34) are published in English and Hindi.

Journals that fulfil the stringer criteria of three UGC-CARE journal analysis protocols find a place in the CARE List. The list is dynamic and is updated quarterly to maintain its currency and therefore its credibility. The list is available at http://ugccare.unipune.ac.in and is the list preferred by Indian Higher Education Institutes.

UGC-CARE List includes journals published by Indian publishers especially in the fields of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. It is the first initiative to battle against the predatory journals and effort to bring the Indian legacy of journals on the world map of journals and periodicals.

This paper examines how the UK Chartered Accountants Joint Ethics Committee’s (CAJEC) 1996 Statement Integrity, Objectivity and Independence, which was developed at a time of mounting levels of criticism of the auditing profession, provides legitimization for the accounting profession’s increased commercial activities, particularly in the area of other business services. Parallel with a major shift in the nature of the activities of the professional firm, this ethics Statement gives expression to changes in the profession’s concept of independence. It adopts a more accommodating method for evaluating the adequacy of an auditor’s independence, introducing a “framework” approach in contrast with its predecessor’s “rule book” approach. Both the Statement and respondents to the preceding Consultation Papers support the flexible system afforded by the framework in terms of promoting clients’ economic interests. Moreover CAJEC’s proposals did not include any initiatives to promote audit firm transparency which might have enabled external monitoring of compliance with the framework. Thus, while the Statement does place some limitations on the flexibility of the framework and retains the distinction between audit and other activities, it ultimately embodies a notion of independence that is at one with the interests of the profession.

The Howard Shuttering Contractors case throws considerable light on the importance which the tribunals attach to warnings before dismissing an employee. In this case the tribunal took great pains to interpret the intention of the parties to the different site agreements, and it came to the conclusion that the agreed procedure was not followed. One other matter, which must be particularly noted by employers, is that where a final warning is required, this final warning must be “a warning”, and not the actual dismissal. So that where, for example, three warnings are to be given, the third must be a “warning”. It is after the employee has misconducted himself thereafter that the employer may dismiss.

The economic system of competitive capitalism strives toward liquid markets wherein the cost for transacting is minimized. Liquidity is mostly addressed in association with abstract markets (e.g. the securities market), but also consumer markets are determined by liquidity concerns. The purpose of this paper is to examine the shopping mall concept, developed by the architect and social reformer Victor Gruen during the early 1950s, as a form of production of capitalist space, intended to reduce transaction costs. As an auxiliary benefit, Gruen envisioned the shopping mall as a cultural and civic center in the midst of the satellite town of suburbia, the new site of urban expansion during the post-war boom decades.

The paper reviews secondary literature on the historical development of the shopping mall as a consumer space. In addition, relevant economic and social science literature is referenced.

The architecture, design, ornamentation and day-to-day management of the shopping mall were premised on a consumerist way of life, ultimately serving as an all-too-visual index of the triumph of competitive capitalism in the cold war era. However, Gruen’s accomplishments were gradually compromised by the interest of money-minded developers and construction industry actors, and the shopping mall arguably never fulfilled the social and cultural function that Gruen anticipated. Regardless of such outcomes, the production of capitalist space as scripted by Gruen is still determining everyday life in consumer society, making Gruen a key figure, albeit only limitedly recognized, in the history of late modern society and in the capitalist economy.

The paper emphasizes the role of Victor Gruen in the post-Second World War period, being one of the most influential practitioners and social reformers in the era. Furthermore, the paper stresses how market liquidity is a key concern in Gruen’s project to create a communal space for the American suburban population in the era of the expanding welfare state.

The Bureau of Economics in the Federal Trade Commission has a three-part role in the Agency and the strength of its functions changed over time depending on the preferences and ideology of the FTC’s leaders, developments in the field of economics, and the tenor of the times. The over-riding current role is to provide well considered, unbiased economic advice regarding antitrust and consumer protection law enforcement cases to the legal staff and the Commission. The second role, which long ago was primary, is to provide reports on investigations of various industries to the public and public officials. This role was more recently called research or “policy R&D”. A third role is to advocate for competition and markets both domestically and internationally. As a practical matter, the provision of economic advice to the FTC and to the legal staff has required that the economists wear “two hats,” helping the legal staff investigate cases and provide evidence to support law enforcement cases while also providing advice to the legal bureaus and to the Commission on which cases to pursue (thus providing “a second set of eyes” to evaluate cases). There is sometimes a tension in those functions because building a case is not the same as evaluating a case. Economists and the Bureau of Economics have provided such services to the FTC for over 100 years proving that a sub-organization can survive while playing roles that sometimes conflict. Such a life is not, however, always easy or fun.

This is the first paper in a volume devoted exclusively to antitrust law and economics. It summarizes the other papers and addresses two issues. First, after showing that the federal courts generally view consumer welfare as the ultimate goal of antitrust law, it asks what they mean by that term. It concludes that recent decisions appear more likely to equate consumer welfare with the well-being of consumers in the relevant market than with economic efficiency. Second, it asks whether a buyer must possess monopsony power to induce a price discrimination that is not cost justified. It concludes that a buyer can often obtain an unjustified concession simply by wielding bargaining power, but the resulting concession may frequently – though not always – improve consumer welfare.

The retail sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. Increase in per capita income, growing urbanization, and economic reforms are some key factors that have propelled its growth. The growing Indian market has attracted many foreign retailers and Indian corporates to invest in this sector. However, this is one of the few sectors in which there is a restriction on foreign direct investment. The sector is politically sensitive, and the Indian government is trying to formulate an appropriate policy regime.

In this context, based on a primary survey, this chapter tries to analyze what should be the right policy regime that will help to sustain the growth of retail in India. The chapter shows that due to the quasi-federal nature of governance, the retail sector is regulated by a large number of ministries/departments at the centre state and local level, which leads to multiple regulations and the requirement of multiple clearances. The laws relating to this sector are outdated and their definitions and enforcement varies across different states of India. Lack of supporting infrastructure, high real estate costs and low purchasing power of consumers are some other barriers. To sustain the growth of this sector, there is an urgent need for regulatory, fiscal, and other reforms. Precisely, the clearances process needs to be streamlined and outdated regulations should be amended. To encourage investment in the supply chain and inflow of technical know-how and skills the government should allow FDI in multibrand retail. However, since retail is a sensitive sector, India cannot take an international commitment on liberalization of retail before streamlining the domestic policy regime.

This study aims to use opportunity as a theoretical lens to investigate how the spatio-temporal and social dimensions of the consumption environment create perceived opportunities for consumers to misbehave.

Drawing on routine activity theory and social impact theory, the authors use two experiments to demonstrate that spatio-temporal and social dimensions can explain consumer theft in retail settings.

Study 1 reveals mixed empirical support for the basic dimensions of routine activity theory, which posits that the opportunity to thieve is optimised when a motivated offender, suitable target and the absence of a capable formal guardian transpire in time and space. Extending the notion of guardianship, Study 2 tests social impact theory and shows that informal guardianship impacts the likelihood of theft under optimal routine activity conditions.

The study findings highlight important implications for academicians and retail managers: rather than focusing on the uncontrollable characteristics of thieving offenders, more controllable spatio-temporal and social factors of the retail environment can be actively monitored and manipulated to reduce perceived opportunities for consumer misbehaviour.