Search results

The purpose of this paper is to identify and examine the antecedents and consequence of regional animosity and their impacts on regional media preference.

Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with randomly selected adult residents in Northern (206) and Southern (201) Taiwan. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in LISERAL and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.

The findings reveal that perceived economic threat, economic hardship and dissatisfaction with government economic policy increase home region identification and perceived discrimination, which in turn lead to heightened animosity toward the opposite foreign region. This increasing animosity then affects consumer choice over home region media compared to media originated from the other region.

The findings suggest that military and political tensions alone cannot explain why consumers would harbor animosity between one region and another within the same country due to social and economic reasons. The constructs chosen in this research should be seen only as a snapshot but other variables such as a region’s natural environment and its human factors are not taken into account. Future studies would benefit from inclusion of these variables and a wider geographical scope.

Several implications are extracted to help marketing and branding personnel better shape their marketing, communication and media strategies, as well as to help government policy makers and political parties revise existing policy to reduce the animosity.

By investigating animosity within borders, this study provides fresh insights to help explain how economic factors contribute to increased regional animosity through the mediating effect of regional identification and perceived discrimination. The findings broaden existing understanding about the concept of animosity and its impact on consumer behavior.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze politically exposed persons (PEPs) according to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations and assess the identification process followed by financial institutions to create a harmonized regional model for PEPs identification in Latin America.

FATF Recommendation No.12 states that financial institutions should identify PEPs. To do so, the latter uses either an internal identification system or an external database. Within this framework, the purpose of the research work is to determine whether the procedure adopted by the regulated entities complies with the requirements of the regulations. Both analytical and interpretative methods have been used for this purpose.

In accordance with FATF Recommendation No.12, national and foreign PEPs, as well as officials of relevant international organizations, close relatives and closest associates must be identified. This wide range of people forms an hybrid type of PEPs. Because of the lack of a harmonized identification policy, it is likely that some people who meet these conditions may not be spotted.

PEPs control success relies on accurate and prompt identification. Therefore, it is crucial to create an inter-state model of harmonized identification at a regional level in Latin America. It includes not only the participation of the obligated subjects but also the sector entities associated to the concerned economic activity.

This paper aims to present the methodology used to develop an index for assessing retailers' efforts to promote regional foods, and to provide an analysis of the evaluation of 278 retailers.

A three‐step procedure was used to develop the index. First, the dimensions of the index were identified through a literature review and interviews with retailers. Next, face‐to‐face interviews with retailers, food producers and regional development experts were conducted to define the best way to measure the index dimensions. Finally, a Delphi approach with an expert panel was used to determine the relative importance of the dimensions. The index was used to evaluate 278 food retailers from the province of Quebec in Canada. Data collection was conducted through store observation and interviews with managers or owners.

The results reveal a weak level of commitment toward regional foods. Only a small group of retailers, 16 per cent of the sample analysed, adopted practices that demonstrated commitment toward regional foods. A lower level of commitment was observed among corporate stores and discount supermarkets.

The index provides an overview of retailers' level of commitment toward regional foods within a region. It is simple to use and the results are easy to communicate. However, further research is needed to validate the index dimensions and their relative importance.

This is the first study to provide a means of measuring retailers' commitment toward regional foods based on their behaviour.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of average health expenditures for inpatients in China with national data for period 2002-2010 and regional data during 2005-2010.

The semi-parametric framework is established to identify the determinants of health expenditures with local-constant least squares (LCLS) and local-linear least squares (LLLS) techniques. The LCLS technique aims to identify correlative determinants among all considered variables, and LLLS technique aims to further distinguish linear decisive and nonlinear control variables among all correlative determinants.

First, root mean square error tends to decrease with irrelative variables smoothed out in regression model, validating the modelling reasonability of the semi-parametric approach. Second, the determinants of average health expenditures for inpatients exhibit considerable variation among regions despite the fact that governmental health expenditure, GDP per-capita, and urbanization do impact average health expenditures for inpatients to a certain extent. Third, both linear decisive and nonlinear control variables vary greatly with national, provincial, and regional data.

First, the illiteracy rate should be further reduced nationally. Second, urbanization development and the average treatment number of inpatients for each physician per day should be strictly controlled in region A and C, respectively, in order to control average health expenditure for inpatients.

First, the semi-parametric framework with LCLS and LLLS techniques allows for data structure-oriented model in regions rather than a uniform and definite model for underlying structure. Second, the research undertakes for the first time a comprehensive data analysis of the determinants of average health expenditures for inpatients with national and regional data in China.

Investment promotion is gaining in popularity, yet its relationship with regional development remains unclear and under-investigated. The purpose of this paper is to combine place marketing and regional development concepts to explore investment promotion in the Czech, Polish and Slovak regions. It identifies elements of best practice and investigates to what extent these are used in foreign direct investment promotion conducted by regional authorities. Organisation- and implementation-related elements are studied. The discussion aims to answer the question of how systematic Central–Eastern European regional investment promotion is, and what are the factors determining regions’ involvement in, and the extent of, promotion activities.

Discussion is based on an original survey of Central–Eastern European (CEE) regional authorities' investment promotion. The paper develops a measurement of regional authorities’ engagement in investment promotion – an investment promotion index (IPI) and using non-parametric, two-tailed Spearmans correlation test investigates the relationship between IPI and socio-economic conditions in the regions. Kruskal-Wallis, a non-parametric test of difference is used to investigate statistical significance of differences in mean values between the three countries.

The analysis provides early insights into the relationship between regional development and investment attraction – the main theoretical contribution of the paper. Diverse levels of engagement in promotion are not influenced by the staple competitiveness factors of gross domestic product growth rates or foreign direct investment stock. Instead, it is conditioned by labour market situation in the countries studied.

Investment promotion relationship to regional development remains under-explored. The main focus of the analysis offered is the varying levels of CEE regional authorities’ involvement in investment promotion and its relationship to the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the regions. Exploring this relationship, the paper provides original contribution in the following two aspects: it establishes a systematic way of measuring regional authorities’ engagement with investment promotion; and it links the level of investment promotion to wider development of the regions.

The aim of this paper is to assess the thinning notion in a case study while acknowledging the hybrid nature of regional identities with the past. In The Netherlands, a process can be observed in which regions actively claim their uniqueness to ensure their development and relevance. It seems that regions adopt similar modern labels in their regional marketing, suggesting a so-called thinning of identities away from traditional thick identities.

The paper is based on a content analysis of promotional texts and interviews with politicians to analyse the context, aims and perceptions of the regional marketing. It stresses an approach which sees identities as balanced between the present and the past.

In line with the thinning notion, this case study shows indeed a creation of new thin elements and an exclusion of traditional thick elements in the regional marketing. However, it was also found that the marketing entails creative links between both characteristics, which suggest a tempering of the thinning notion.

The results show that linking traditional with utilitarian elements might capacitate traditional regions to allocate the resources for regional marketing more effectively.

Despite the fact that studies acknowledge identities as neither thick nor thin, the thinning notion seems to examine both elements as a dichotomy within regions, which does not follow the nature of identities as interconnected in time. Then, the value of this study must be found in the way it goes behind such a dichotomy by presenting an integrative analysis of thin and thick characteristics.

The aim of this article is to contribute to the literature by analyzing potential determinants of fan resistance to naming right sponsorships. Although sports sponsorships mostly trigger neutral or positive reactions by fans, the authors find empirical support which provides evidence for fan boycott or resistance.

The authors empirically test a model using a sample of 798 soccer fans and thereby quantify structural relations between determinants and fan resistance. They use a logistic regression to assess potential determinants of fan resistance.

Results indicate that sponsee- and sports-related variables, such as fan/regional identification and attitude toward commercialization, contribute to higher fan resistance. Furthermore, fans see themselves as in-group members who discriminate out-group members. As the sponsoring company takes over control and imposes a “threat” (the change of a stadium’s name) on the group’s ritual place, this results in strong negative emotional reactions. These emotions tend to be repeated and affirmed in intra-group communications which intensify negative reactions unless the sponsor offers a positive contribution from the fans’ standpoints. Our findings confirm that sponsorship fit and perceived benefits of the sponsorship reduce fan resistance while the sponsor’s regional identification is unrelated to fan resistance.

Little attention has been paid on negative reactions to sponsorships in the existing research. Therefore, future research could assess negative effects resulting from other sponsorship contexts, such as the sale of a club's naming right, promotion campaigns during the venue and to sponsorship deals in general. Moreover, research should be devoted to finding strategies that lead to a reduction of fan resistance to sponsorship actions.

Results show that sponsorship fit reduces fan resistance. Existing literature suggests that sponsorship fit can be improved by emphasis or creation of fit between sponsor and sponsee. Additionally, sponsors should try to build a bridge between sponsor and fans to gain acceptance of the in-group by raising awareness on the benefits that the sponsee receives from their partnership. Moreover, sponsors should actively strive to understand negative reactions of the fans and adapt their communication strategy to avoid resistance, e.g. due to fans’ feelings of overt commercialism.

Although naming right sponsorships are generally considered a powerful instrument for companies to gain high profile and market share, they seem not to be entirely free of risk. This article contributes to the literature by conceptualizing the phenomenon of fan resistance and assessing the determinants that contribute to fan resistance when naming rights are sold. Our findings extend the understanding of negative sponsorship effects in addition to the mechanisms and theoretical frameworks that are documented in the literature (Cornwell et al., 2005).

The study aims to reinvestigate the regional urbanization gap in China and some projects are to be presented for reducing the gap.

An innovative weighted kernel density approach is applied for identifying the regional urbanization development with population migration and investment and evaluating the projects.

The regional urbanization gap is 7 and 9 percent with the unconditional estimation, 13 (23) percent and 13 (23) percent with population (investment) weighted estimation between eastern and middle region, eastern and western region, respectively. The project on the interior migration of population by 30 percent and the project on the selective investment enhancement by 30 percent both reduce the regional urbanization gap by about 4 percent between middle and eastern region.

Focus is only on the investigation of urbanization development level with single population migration or investment enhancement; the identifications and projects with joint impact of population and investment are not considered.

The study not only measures the urbanization development with the nonparametric approach but also designs some practicable projects for reducing the regional urbanization gap, which is helpful for the Chinese Government in the policymaking process.

This paper aims to identify and determine regional tourism axes in Hormozgan Province, Iran, as a region with significant potential

The research method is quantitative and uses the fuzzy accreditation tool and TOPSIS model; the identification, determination and ranking of regional tourism axes have been performed by analyzing the spatial distribution of tourism attractions in the GIS environment.

The results show that given the capacities of Hormozgan Province, at least 15 axes are recognizable. This paper highlights regional tourism planning as a tool for urban and rural socio-economic development in potential provinces such Hormozgan.

This study provides a number of practical implications for regional tourism development as follows: it identifies some of the most important potential axes in Hormozgan Province, which can be considered as investment areas in the national and regional tourism development strategy. The spatial results of this study could be embedded in all urban and rural developmental plans in the province. Tourism investment should shift its spatial concentration from the spot approach, especially islands and cities, to the axis approach while equipping those axes as comprehensive spatial strategic regional tourism plans. Sectoral tourism in each sector including sports, economy and nature could be planned as if sectoral institutions and organizations are going to develop their own tourism goals.

This study aimed to develop a model for identifying talented faculties in regional universities.

In this study, the systematic grounded theory (GT) approach has been used. The research population consisted of academic and scientific experts of higher education system who had more knowledge about the subject of the research. They were identified and selected using a non-probability and purposeful sampling method.

The paper introduces a talent-based model for identifying faculties in regional universities. Findings show that in regional universities, talent management (TM) theory is rarely used to identify scientific talents. Therefore, to attract capable faculty members, using a comprehensive model based on this concept can be effective and efficient. To achieve the above goal, it is suggested that universities and higher education centers should pay special attention to the components of education, research and counseling when identifying faculty.

This article develops the knowledge about TM in higher education. Given the gap between theory and practice regarding the theory of TM in higher education, this study, with a look at the identity and nature of universities, offers recommendations for attracting faculty members. Implementing the desired model in regional universities gives them the assurance that by attracting capable people, it will be possible to achieve the university development plan.