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In the last two decades, the dependence of Taiwan’s manufacturing production on imported intermediate inputs has steadily risen. Meanwhile, the market share of imported consumable manufacture products has also increased. The steady rise of both import shares may not be explained by price fact or since the relative import prices have shown no decreasing trend. The scenario of constantly buying more imported goods when they are not cheaper can be treated as a preference change in favor of imported goods, which may be caused by the popularity of outsourcing, increasing product varieties and persistent trade barriers, as literatures indicated. Traditional macroeconomic models primarily consider the price mechanism in their import demand estimates, with no concern for changes in import preferences. Neglecting changing import preferences in a rapid globalization environment may yield biased empirical results. In this article, we incorporate the import preference factor into a single-country Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model and use it firstly to quantify the scale of preferences change and then to test how the preferences change affects the effects of trade policy. The empirical results with and without the concern of import preferences change are compared to yield the scale of bias caused by neglecting the change.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of consumers’ omnichannel (OC) adoption intention and explore how consumers’ personality trait affects their OC adoption behavior.

A total of 227 Korean consumers were invited to participate in a survey study, and partial least squares–structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the measurement and structural models.

The results show that three consumer groups by “Need for Cognition (NFC)” show different response to four identified OC attribute/benefits. Finally, the authors hypothesize and find that shed light on the possible ways to differentiate OC marketing for different target consumers and provide implications for practice and further research.

This study provides empirical evidence that OC is an expanded retail format of e-commerce, which is predominantly affected by how information on the cross-channel marketing mix/retail strategies is delivered to consumers. From communication perspective, findings suggest that retail communication strategy need more careful attention in dealing with individual difference of consumers. In addition, the significant role of NFC on consumers’ OC adoption process validates the importance of customization and differentiation in retailers’ message to different consumer groups. In order to do so, comprehensive analysis on consumer database may be necessary to develop personalized OC service. In-depth analysis of consumer profile may enable more specific methods for marketing and managing consumers in the OC context. Although the study provides additional empirical findings for consumers’ perception on selected characteristics of OC (i.e. delivery approach of information and service in OC and institutional mechanism of OC), there may be additional extrinsic motivation factors which affect consumers’ OC adoption behavior. Extrinsic factors such as web design, convenience, assortment, moving saving which trigger positive perception of OC, may be important determinants to consider. Furthermore, situational factor such as social media (Huseyinoglu et al., 2018) and behavioral factors such as platform use habit (Chen, 2018) may also be significant in assessing consumers’ OC adoption behavior. Finally, this study has been conducted on a particular culture setting, and the generalizability of study findings, particularly about the role of NFC may need to be improved by cross-culture evaluation.

NFC-high and medium consumers are likely to use the four OC service options in future, while a larger proportion of the NFC-low consumers shows negative response to the OC service usage. This evidently shows that innovative features of OC service are not homogenously adopted by consumers, and subject to their experience and intrinsic difference, adoption rate was found to vary. This suggests that companies need to pay careful attention in implementing innovative OC service, and may approach communication of information strategically for different consumer groups. For high-NFC consumers with previous BOPIS experience, retailers may effectively engage them by enhancing and expanding the BOPIS service features, yet for low-NFC consumers, raising awareness and initiating interest among unexperienced consumers may be more imminent issue. Indirect communication using peripheral cues may be necessary to draw less motivated consumer group.

The OC retailers may need to set the scope and range of information into in-depth information and simplified/unified information, and address the different type of information to different consumer groups in order to facilitate consumers’ OC adoption. For consumers with medium and high NFC, it may be necessary to provide in-depth, detailed information relevant to product quality and promotional items consistently both in on/offline channels to gain their trust. Consumers with low NFC are found to prefer unified and simplified messages on information for price, delivery, inventory in on/offline channels.

This study addresses the perceived value of unique and fundamental features and specificity of OC service by consumers with different personality trait. The authors develop consumers’ OC adoption model based on the theory of reasoned action, which depicts relationship between four extrinsic motivation factors and consumers’ intention for the OC usage, which is further differentiated by an intrinsic factor. We segment consumers based on individual difference of “NFC” and investigate how different consumer groups value different aspect of the selected OC attributes and benefits. Findings validate the importance of customization and differentiation in retailers’ message to different consumer groups and in facilitating consumers’ OC adoption.

To show and analyse the concept, practice, problems and prospects of father leadership in Singapore. The study also proposes such practices in Asian countries.

The focus group participants, were mostly of experienced corporate and business leaders, and did not represent a cross‐section of the population; they were made of business people because of the peculiarities of Singapore's history and economy.

The Singapore Government leads the way and father leadership is widely practiced. An analysis is also made of the management approach, problems and prospects of father leadership as practised in Singapore with its practices proposed in other Asian countries.

Limitations include time and costs constraints; otherwise more focus group sessions can be held and the focus group participants, mostly of experienced corporate and business leaders, did not represent a cross‐section of the population; they were made of business people because of the peculiarities of Singapore's history and economy. It is argued that a synonymous match exists between the national culture and business culture in Singapore; hence the selection of the business people in the focus group. That synonymous match is primarily because of the country's small size and lack of natural resources, and because since its birth as a modern nation, Singapore is dependent on human capital and relies strongly on its economy for its survival and growth.

The study provides useful lessons for businesses and political analysts outside Singapore to better understand the Government's paternalistic instincts in ensuring the long‐term sustainability of Singapore's economy and her citizenry.

The article provides a continuing perspective on governance and management in Singapore. It also extends existing studies into Confucianistic societies/ societies that are perceived by the outside world as being autocratic.