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1 – 10 of over 174000Sophia Ananiadou and John McNaught
This paper assesses the degree to which established practices in terminology can provide the translation industry with the lexical means to support mediation of information…
Abstract
This paper assesses the degree to which established practices in terminology can provide the translation industry with the lexical means to support mediation of information between languages, especially where such mediation involves modification. The effects of term variation, collocation and sublanguage phraseology present problems of term choice to the translator. Current term resources cannot help much with these problems; however, tools and techniques are discussed which, in the near future, will offer translators the means to make appropriate choices of terminology.
This paper aims to examine the heterogeneity of preferences of mortgage borrowers of Russian state-owned suppliers of residential housing mortgages.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the heterogeneity of preferences of mortgage borrowers of Russian state-owned suppliers of residential housing mortgages.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysis takes into account the underwriting process and the choice of contract terms of all loans originated from 2008 to 2012. The data set contains demographic and financial characteristics for all applications, loan terms and the performance information for all issued loans by one regional bank which operates government mortgage programs. The paper uses a multistep semiparametric approach to estimate the determinants of bank and borrower choice controlling for possible heterogeneity of preferences, sample selection and endogeneity of contract terms.
Findings
The study found that the demand of low-income households who are unable to afford to improve the housing conditions by other instruments than government mortgage is less elastic according to the change both in interest rate and maturity compared with higher-income households.
Social implications
Given lower elasticities of the demand, the low-income group of borrowers has higher potential cost of loan and is usually rejected by commercial banks. The presence of the Agency of Housing Mortgage Lending special programs with subsidized interest rate for special constrained categories (young families, teachers, researchers etc.) widens the access for housing conditions’ improvements as a part of housing affordability government program.
Originality/value
The main contribution to the literature is modeling choice of contract terms as interdependent by the structural system of simultaneous equations with heterogeneous marginal effects.
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Cecilia Maria Castelli and Andrea Sianesi
The purpose of this paper is to show how it is possible to take into account the objectives that fashion-luxury companies pursue on the final market (i.e. critical success factors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how it is possible to take into account the objectives that fashion-luxury companies pursue on the final market (i.e. critical success factors (CSF) – of luxury) and propagate them in the upstream steps of the supply chain (SC) in order to understand how the latter can be aligned to the market.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review allowed the identification of SC objectives. Case studies were used in order to asses choices and practices applied along the SC of luxury companies were assessed through in depth case studies; hence, the relationship between choices/practices, SC objectives and luxury CSF was explored.
Findings
The paper documents that success in the luxury market not only depends on branding and marketing but also on the choices made along the SC, to the point that it is possible to identify some SC choices and practices that support the achievement of luxury CSF.
Research limitations/implications
The results presented represent a useful guideline and offer some methodological suggestions; however, the precise set of SC objectives have to be tailored on each specific brand, according to the uniqueness that characterizes luxury companies.
Practical implications
The paper suggests which areas of the SC should be mostly targeted in order to achieve success in the luxury market, also indicating some possible concrete choices.
Originality/value
The main value of this paper consists in shaping a first explicit connection among the world of luxury as it is perceived by the consumers and the world of the SC.
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D.J. HARPER and C.J. VAN RIJSBERGEN
This paper reports experiments with a term weighting model incorporating relevance information in which it is assumed that index terms are distributed dependently. Initially this…
Abstract
This paper reports experiments with a term weighting model incorporating relevance information in which it is assumed that index terms are distributed dependently. Initially this model was tested with complete relevance information against a similar model which assumes index terms are distributed independently. The experiments demonstrated conclusively that index terms are not independent for a number of diverse document collections. It was concluded that the use of relevance information together with dependence information could potentially improve retrieval effectiveness. As a result of further experiments the initial strict dependence model was modified and in particular a new relevance‐based term weight was developed. This modified dependence model was then used as the basis for relevance feedback, i.e. with partial relevance information only, and significant increases in retrieval effectiveness were achieved. The evaluation method used in the feedback experiments emphasized the effect of the feedback on documents which the potential user would not previously have seen. Finally the incorporation of relevance feedback in an operational system is considered and in particular it is argued that if high recall searches are required, relevance feedback based on the modified dependence model may be superior to the widely used Boolean search.
Subir Bandyopadhyay, Kunal Gupta and Laurette Dube
Compared with the large brands, not only do the small brands attract fewer customers but also their customers buy them less frequently. This twin disadvantage of the less popular…
Abstract
Purpose
Compared with the large brands, not only do the small brands attract fewer customers but also their customers buy them less frequently. This twin disadvantage of the less popular brands is termed “double jeopardy” (DJ). Earlier studies on the DJ effect have generally explained this as a behavioral phenomenon relating to the size structure of the market. This article aims to argue that the DJ effect is also influenced by the relationship between consumer choice antecedents and consumer buying behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Using consumer attitudinal and behavioral data on various toothpaste brands collected by a leading consumer goods company, it is shown that small brands are jeopardized in terms of individual‐level choice antecedents of both loyal and switching consumers. In particular, small brands are further jeopardized for brand=switching consumers in terms of weaker attitude‐choice relationship.
Findings
The research findings have significant managerial implications. the research suggests that double jeopardy of small brands may not be as irreversible phenomenon posited. A more in‐depth understanding of the individual‐level antecedents of consumer choice should help small brands to develop innovative offensive and defensive strategies aimed at favorable individual choice antecedents of loyal and switching consumers. For example, it may be prudent for a small brand to concentrate on a selected few segments (such as brand‐loyal segments) instead of spreading scarce brand resources across scattered promotion and distribution strategies.
Originality/value
Examines the choice antecedents of consumers who either are loyal to a brand or are brand switchers.
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Salima Hamouche, Christiane Liliane Kammogne and Wassila Merkouche
The COVID-19 crisis caused a high level of job insecurity, layoff and low employment opportunities. It generated a worldwide shock, which might have a long-lasting effect on…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 crisis caused a high level of job insecurity, layoff and low employment opportunities. It generated a worldwide shock, which might have a long-lasting effect on individuals' careers. Changes might occur in terms of individuals’ career choices, objectives, perception of career success and preferences in terms of industries and work arrangements. This study aims to examine crisis-induced career shock among the workforce, which might be translated into changes or doubts related to career choices, objectives and perception of career success, and to analyze individuals' preferences in terms of industries and work arrangements. It focuses mainly on investigating variations among the workforce, based on gender, education level and ethnic origin. These variations are also examined regarding job insecurity, layoff and perceived employability.
Design/methodology/approach
Frequency counts, percentages, mean ranking, independent t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for a sample of 317 workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Three research questions were developed and examined, which are: (1) is there a variation in the workforce, based on gender, education level and ethnic origin concerning crisis-induced career shock (specifically changes related to career choices, objectives and career success? (2) Is there a variation among the workforce related to career preference per industry and work arrangement? If yes, is there a difference in the workforce-based gender, education level and ethnic origin? And (3) is there a variation in the workforce, based on gender, education level and ethnic origin concerning job insecurity, layoff and perceived employability?
Findings
The findings revealed that career shock was significantly higher among pre-university respondents (specifically, doubts about career choices and perceived career success). As for career preferences per industry, e-business, media and marketing had significant values for all respondents, with e-business as the top-rated choice except for Emiratis who rated it as their third choice. Education was the choice of both men and women. The choices related to other industries (e.g. Healthcare, information, communication technology, etc.) and work arrangements (telework) varied significantly based on gender, education and ethnic origin. Men seem to worry more than women about losing their job as well as Emiratis compared to expatriates, and university-level respondents compared to pre-university.
Practical implications
This study contributes to highlighting variations related to career shock and career preferences per industry among the workforce based on gender, education level and ethnic origin. This can help organizations in these industries to have a portrait of the situation in the employment market to be able to develop relevant interventions. This research provides insights for managers and HRM practitioners.
Originality/value
This study contributes to expanding research on career and career shocks in a context of a crisis. It responded to authors who called for more research about career shocks, as well as their implication for specific target groups, by examining variations based on gender, education level and ethnic origin.
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Sonja Gallhofer, Catriona Paisey, Clare Roberts and Heather Tarbert
Men and women are now being admitted to membership of the major UK professional accountancy bodies in approximately equal numbers. This trend has focused attention on the ways in…
Abstract
Purpose
Men and women are now being admitted to membership of the major UK professional accountancy bodies in approximately equal numbers. This trend has focused attention on the ways in which professional accountants combine careers and family life, particularly when women have children. Recognising the limitations inherent in the widely‐used term “work‐life balance” that polarises life and work, this paper instead seeks to consider the “work‐lifestyle choices” made by female accountants. Work‐lifestyle choices refer to the ways in which people place different emphases on the work and private spheres, according to their individual circumstances. Feminist researchers have argued that women's work‐lifestyle choices have been limited by structural constraints. Over the past decade, a newer argument, preference theory, has emerged, suggesting that women's choices owe less to inequalities in the workplace and more to the preferences of individuals, particularly, but not exclusively, women. The purpose of this paper is to explore the work‐lifestyle choices made by female members of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), in terms of both structural constraints and preferences, in order to present a more holistic understanding of the work‐lifestyle choices made by this particular group of well‐educated, middle‐class women.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper combines feminist theory and preference theory in the context of the results of a questionnaire survey of female members of ICAS and 14 interviews with female members of ICAS.
Findings
The responses of these accountants suggest that, while structural constraints are evident, many work‐lifestyle choices were driven by a desire to spend more time with children, and by women's perceptions of their mothering role. Most women, while recognising the opportunities forgone, were nonetheless happy with the choices that they had made.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature by examining the voices of female accountants in order to explore how perceived gender roles impact on career decisions and work‐lifestyle choices.
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James Christopher Westland and Jian Mou
Internet search is a $120bn business that answers lists of search terms or keywords with relevant links to Internet webpages. Only a few companies have sufficient scale to compete…
Abstract
Purpose
Internet search is a $120bn business that answers lists of search terms or keywords with relevant links to Internet webpages. Only a few companies have sufficient scale to compete and thus economics of the process are paramount. This study aims to develop a detailed industry-specific modeling of the economics of internet search.
Design/methodology/approach
The current research develops a stochastic model of the process of Internet indexing, search and retrieval in order to predict expected costs and revenues of particular configurations and usages.
Findings
The models define behavior and economics of parameters that are not directly observable, where it is difficult to empirically determine the distributions and economics.
Originality/value
The model may be used to guide the economics of large search engine operations, including the advertising platforms that depend on them and largely fund them.
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Amit Sharma, Laure Saulais and Yidan Huang
Strategies to promote more sustainable consumer choices have been gaining interest among tourism and hospitality scholars. In particular, behavioral economic theories of…
Abstract
Purpose
Strategies to promote more sustainable consumer choices have been gaining interest among tourism and hospitality scholars. In particular, behavioral economic theories of decision-making have gained popularity in the past decade, led by behavioral interventions (BIs) such as the nudge movement. This paper aims to present a critical reflection on this recent trend, with a specific focus on whether these BI approaches are an adequate tool to contribute to long-term behavioral changes, one crucial aim of the promotion of sustainable consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a critical review of recent significant academic works in the field, this paper reflects on how nudge principles are applied in the hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as the usual justifications given for their use. This paper then discusses the potential limitations, both theoretical and practical, of using these short-term focused approaches to decisions that intend to have long-term outcomes and aims.
Findings
BIs in hospitality and tourism have the potential to create long-term sustainable changes through a more comprehensive view of behavioral factors influencing decisions; however, such approaches would need to be strongly embedded in theoretical arguments that question “how” and “why” behavior change could be sustainable in the long term. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to address these concerns for future research.
Research limitations/implications
This critical reflection proposes a comprehensive framework that will help guide stronger theoretically motivated identification, design and empirical testing of BIs and nudges. Industry can eventually benefit from theoretically stronger interventions that provide a balance between the short-term and long-term influence of BIs to attain customer loyalty and eventually greater value for business stakeholders.
Originality/value
This reflection paper critically reviews the basis of BIs and recommends a framework to strengthen their theoretical arguments. This reflection focuses on the theoretical critique of BIs and nudges to ensure long-term behavior changes are sustainable. The paper also proposes a comprehensive framework that incorporates well-founded theoretical models to enhance BIs and nudge literature.
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