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This study examines the interplay between media-induced emotional crisis framing (anger vs sadness) and message sidedness of crisis response on publics’ attribution of crisis responsibility as well as subsequent company evaluation and supportive behavioral intention.

A 2 (emotion: anger vs sadness) x 2 (crisis response: one-sided vs two-sided) online experiment was conducted among 161 participants in the USA.

Results showed that anger-inducing media framing of the crisis elicited higher levels of crisis responsibility attribution and more negative company evaluation, compared with sadness-inducing media framing. One-sided message response was more effective than two-sided message response in lowering attribution of crisis responsibility when sadness was induced, but no difference was found under the anger-induced condition. Attribution of crisis responsibility fully mediated the effects of emotional crisis framing on company evaluation and supportive behavioral intention toward the company.

This study is among the first to examine the interaction effect between emotional media framing and response message sidedness in an ambiguous crisis. Drawing on the interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks, this study integrates the situational crisis communication theory, appraisal-tendency framework and message sidedness in persuasion literature. As such, it contributes to theoretical development in crisis communication and offers communication managers guidance on how to effectively address emotionally framed crises.

Although situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) is centered on rationality and cognitive information processing, it ignores that people are also driven by irrationality and non-cognitive information processing. The purpose of this study aims to fill this gap by examining how gender stereotypes, based on perceived spokesperson sex influence the public’s perceptions of crisis response messages.

A 2 (industry type: automotive vs daycare industry) × 2 (spokesperson’s sex: male vs female) × 2 (crisis response appeal: rational vs emotional) between-subject online experiment was conducted to examine the effect of gender stereotype in crisis communication.

Results showed that either matching spokesperson sex with sex differed industry or matching sex differed industry with appropriate crisis response appeal can generate a more positive evaluation of the spokesperson and the organization. The results also revealed under which circumstances, the attractiveness of different sex of the spokesperson can either promote or mitigate people’s perceptions of the organization. Furthermore, when people are aware of a spokesperson’s sex, in a female-associated industry, a mismatching effect of a positive violation of a male-related stereotype overrides a matching effect of a female-related stereotype in crisis communication.

This study is among the first to identify how the gender of a spokesperson and industry type affect publics’ crisis response.

Examines the dynamic relationships between stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand before, during and after the October 1997 crisis. Discusses linear and non‐linear Granger causality tests and applies both to stock market data for three time periods between Jan 1997 and Oct 1998. Presents the results, which suggest that Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia led the Asian crisis, Taiwan and Thailand followed but Japan played no part in spreading it. Considers consistency with other research and the implications for these stock exchanges, their regulators and future research.

Examines the extent to which social policy adopted by the colonial government in Hong Kong (prior to its hand‐over China in 1997) has set the agenda for the government of the newly formed Special Administrative Region (SAR). Chronicles the historical development of social policy in Hong Kong since the inception of the colonial government in 1842; identifies that, with the exception of a short‐lived period of expansionism (stimulated by social unrest in the mid‐1960’s) social welfare provision appears to have been low on the government’s agenda and incremental in nature ‐ the emphasis being on economic growth, rather than public spending on welfare programmes. Examines the strengths and weaknesses of this incremental approach; outlines the commitment of the SAR government to the market economy and its proposals for a modest increase in welfare provision, essentially building on the legacy left behind by the colonial government.

Hong Kong and Singapore are economically similar and rival international financial centers. Banks in both Hong Kong and Singapore operate in very similar environments: internationally oriented with protected domestic banking market and firm regulators. With liberalization under the Financial Services Accord of the World Trade Organization (WTO), comes more competition and the growing importance for banks to ensure that they are X‐efficient so as to compete successfully or risk being marginalized. This paper uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess X‐efficiency of banks in Hong Kong and Singapore via a two‐stage (combining both the intermediation and production stages) banking model. Changes in X‐efficiency over time are computed to determine if policy initiatives have facilitated improvements in efficiency. Our results on X‐efficiency of banks demarcated by size and ownership provide valuable insights into the issues of scale economies and the impact of family ownership on X‐efficiency.

Epidemiologists are concerned the next deadly global cognition will be a new kind of deadly flu which humans have no resistance. Since the 1960s, their alarm has been focused on a bird (avian) virus (H5N1). This virus is generally harmless in its host species, but it is extremely deadly when contracted by humans. H5N1 mutates quickly and tends to pick up genes from flu viruses that affect other species. The flu is far more contagious and harder to contain than the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus. It is projected that 30‐40 per cent of the population would be infected in a H5N1 flu pandemic, and as many as one‐third would die. The 1918 Spanish flu caused 20 to 50 million deaths world wide. One scientist observed that the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic could have caused civilisation to disappear within a few weeks. Currently, more than 50 million chickens have been slaughtered in eight Asian countries in efforts to curb the spread of avian influenza. This article examines the roots and dangers of the potential avian influenza pandemic, examining the business and social ramifications that could ensue if the worst case scenario occurs.

Unresolved construction dispute can be detrimental to project success. A systematic method to evaluate the seriousness of construction dispute of a construction project will assist management to take appropriate corrective actions. Evaluation of construction disputes requires an analysis on both the likelihood of occurrence and its impact, which are normally expressed by practitioners in linguistic terms. The application of classical discrete analysis will not be able to accommodate the fuzzy nature of this information. To determine how fuzzy sets theory can be applied to construction disputes evaluation (CDE), a fuzzy CDE model has been developed based on the knowledge extracted from practitioners in Hong Kong. The fuzzy CDE system consists of four components: dispute identification, dispute analysis; dispute evaluation; and dispute control. This paper describes the framework and operation of the fuzzy CDE system developed. The results indicate that CDE can be modelled by the fuzzy sets theory.

Industrial restructuring has led to increasing obsolescence of old industrial properties in many cities. Transformation of these properties to meet the requirements of modern industrial operations is becoming an imminent task for property managers and industrial landowners. This paper reviews the experience of the private sector in restructuring obsolete industrial properties in Hong Kong. In particular, we focus our discussions on a recent market initiative (composite industrial‐office property development in Hong Kong) as an innovative attempt to make better use of urban industrial space. We argue that this new property type has not been successful because of the institutional constraints imposed under the planning policy. It again confirms that the industrial property market is characterized by market imperfection, owing largely to government policies, which precludes a smooth market adjustment to respond positively to changing demand. This problem, if allowed to continue, will ultimately damage the competitiveness of the cities.

The purpose of this paper is to answer two research questions: does relationship marketing orientation (RMO) have an impact on customer satisfaction; and do the individual components of RMO have the same impact on customer satisfaction?

The above questions were answered in the context of an emerging economy using 174 responses obtained from executives of business‐to‐business firms in Vietnam.

The findings show that among key components of RMO, trust, bonding, shared value, and reciprocity have positive influence on customer satisfaction, while communication and empathy have not. Interestingly, trust and bonding are better than shared value and reciprocity in satisfying customers.

The use of cross‐sectional data does not allow the interpretation of the time sequence of the relationships among RMO components and customer satisfaction.

Managers in developing economies do not jeopardise relationship marketing orientation by mistakenly focusing on relatively less important individual components. In particular, managers may not pay much attention to communication and empathy but importantly, they should place more emphasis on trust and bonding compared to shared value and reciprocity.

This paper provides insights on the relative importance of RMO components in contributing to customer satisfaction in the context of Vietnam, a developing economy. These insights will help Vietnamese companies enhance their effectiveness in satisfying customers, growing with them, and reducing risks in doing business when entering a global market.

Conducts two studies, one among working women and one among the employed physically handicapped, to assess their feelings about the recent introduction of equal opportunity legislation in Hong Kong. Provides some background statistics on Hong Kong and outlines the development of anti‐discrimination legislation. Asks 78 women and 10 physically handicapped people if they thought discrimination was serious in Hong Kong and if the anti‐discrimination legislation and the Equal Opportunities Commission were effective in combating discrimination. Describes the methodology used and discusses the results. Reveals that both groups surveyed were ambivalent about discrimination, stating that legislation enforces behavioural changes but that they are only skin deep. Points out also that it is difficult to quantify discriminatory practices. Notes similarities between east and west, particularly with research suggesting that the only way forward in promoting equality is to reduce status distinctions for everyone and to make organizations much more democratic.