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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 30 September 2020

Yan Ye and Kongyue Li

Extant studies on corporate social responsibility (CSR) have mainly focused on established corporations; the context of new ventures remains largely unexplored. This study aims to…

Abstract

Purpose

Extant studies on corporate social responsibility (CSR) have mainly focused on established corporations; the context of new ventures remains largely unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by exploring the patterns of socially responsible activities in new ventures.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the perspective of stakeholders to differentiate external CSR activities (efforts directed toward external stakeholders) from internal CSR activities (efforts directed toward employees) and performs empirical tests using a sample of 3,650 Chinese private firms.

Findings

This study empirically shows that new ventures are more involved in external CSR activities and less involved in internal CSR activities than mature firms. New ventures prioritize their limited resources to fulfill the expectations of external stakeholders rather than those of internal stakeholders. External stakeholders are considered primary stakeholders because of their potential to satisfy critical organizational needs at the start-up stage. However, new ventures tend to cut the spending on employee benefits, ignoring the potential effect of this investment on their long-term growth. After testing the moderating effect of financial resource availability, we find that new ventures with high financial resource availability are inclined to implement external CSR strategy rather than internal CSR strategy.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on new ventures and reveals the influence of organizational life cycle on CSR decisions. The findings may be limited to the context of China or emerging markets. Thus, further research is needed to compare the patterns of CSR activities in new ventures under different institutional environments.

Practical implications

This study indicates that new ventures are inclined to implement external CSR strategy rather than internal CSR strategy. This choice may be rational in the short term, but insufficient investment in employee benefits may affect the long-term growth of these firms. Therefore, they must also focus on their internal CSR activities.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few studies to investigate the patterns of socially responsible activities in new ventures in a transition economy. The findings in this study can help reconcile the seemingly contradictory views on whether new ventures are socially responsible and contribute to our understanding about CSR strategy in these firms.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 59 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 March 2020

Shihua Chen, Yan Ye, Khalil Jebran and Muhammad Ansar Majeed

This study examines how Confucianism, as an informal system, alleviates manager–shareholder conflicts and thus decreases managerial behavior of keeping higher levels of cash…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines how Confucianism, as an informal system, alleviates manager–shareholder conflicts and thus decreases managerial behavior of keeping higher levels of cash reserves. This study also investigates whether formal governance mechanisms (state ownership and institutional investors) moderate the relationship between Confucianism and cash holdings.

Design/methodology/approach

This study opts a sample of Chinese listed firms over the period of 2004–2015. The geographical-proximity-based method was followed to measure Confucianism, which is the distance between a firm's registered address and the national Confucianism centers.

Findings

The results indicate that Confucianism adversely influences cash holdings. The authors’ findings illustrate that Confucian culture promotes ethical behavior, and therefore, firms in a strong Confucianism environment keep a lower level of cash reserves. The authors further document that the effect of Confucianism on cash holding is weaker for state-owned firms but stronger for firms with low institutional ownership.

Practical implications

The findings provide implications for policymakers, academicians, and corporations. The results suggest that culture can reduce cash holdings. Especially, in emerging markets, such as China, where formal mechanisms are relatively less effective, informal institutions can serve an alternative system for alleviating adverse effects of agency conflicts.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, this study contributes to cash holdings literature by showing that culture (Confucianism) is negatively associated with cash holdings. Second, this study extends the incumbent literature that seeks to explore how Confucian culture influences corporate behavior. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first study that identifies that Confucianism is associated with cash holdings.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 15 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 May 2022

Yangsheng Ye, Degou Cai, Lin Geng, Hongye Yan, Junkai Yao and Feng Chen

This study aims to propose a semiempirical and semitheoretical cyclic compaction constitutive model of coarse-grained soil filler for the high-speed railway (HSR) subgrade under…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose a semiempirical and semitheoretical cyclic compaction constitutive model of coarse-grained soil filler for the high-speed railway (HSR) subgrade under cyclic load.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the basic framework of critical state soil mechanics and in view of the characteristics of the coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade to bear the train vibration load repeatedly for a long time, the hyperbolic empirical relationship between particle breakage and plastic work was derived. Considering the influence of cyclic vibration time and stress ratio, the particle breakage correction function of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under cyclic load was proposed. According to the classical theory of plastic mechanics, the shearing dilatation equation of the coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade considering particle breakage was modified and obtained. A semiempirical and semitheoretical cyclic compaction constitutive model of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under cyclic load was further established. The backward Euler method was used to discretize the constitutive equation, build a numerical algorithm of “elastic prediction and plastic modification” and make a secondary development of the program to solve the cyclic compaction model.

Findings

Through the comparison with the result of laboratory triaxial test under the cyclic loading of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade, the accuracy and applicability of the cyclic compaction model were verified. Results show that the model can accurately predict the cumulative deformation characteristics of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under the train vibration loading repeatedly for a long time. It considers the effects of particle breakage and stress ratio, which can be used to calculate and analyze the stress and deformation evolution law of the subgrade structure for HSR.

Originality/value

The research can provide a simple and practical method for calculating deformation of railway under cyclic loading.

Article
Publication date: 6 August 2018

Meili Lu, Zuoliang Ye and Yufei Yan

The purpose of this paper is to study the regularity of the e-commerce customer repeat purchase behavior, and provide new ideas and methods for e-commerce vendor’s e-commerce…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the regularity of the e-commerce customer repeat purchase behavior, and provide new ideas and methods for e-commerce vendor’s e-commerce customer management.

Design/methodology/approach

Through analysis of the priority in activity mechanism and new customers’ dynamic growth in customer’s purchase behavior, this paper builds a model of the customer’s purchase frequency, which can be verified by the empirical data gathered from www.taobao.com, www.jd.com, www.yhd.com and www.amazon.com.

Findings

This paper discovers the regularity that the customer’s purchase frequency obeys power law distribution. Empirical data show that this model can represent the real repeat purchase process well. At the same time, it provides the theoretical basis for the vendor regional management by introducing the concept of stickiness and the corresponding methods of calculation.

Research/limitations/implications

This study only focuses on the basic model of e-commerce customer’s repeat purchase and lack of study on influence factors about the characteristics of different vendors and it needs to make extensions considering fluctuation of new customers, or customer aging and loss.

Practical/implications

This study provides a theoretical basis for vendor to take different marketing strategies through classifying customers based on the characteristic of purchase stickiness.

Originality/value

The definition and calculation method of purchase stickiness is put forward for the first time, and the value of purchase stickiness changes with the number of purchase. It provides the theoretical basis for the vendor regional management, and will be good for further studying the e-commerce market about customer’s purchase behavior.

Details

Nankai Business Review International, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8749

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2019

Yufei Yan, Zuoliang Ye and Miao Sun

Nowadays, some online retailing platforms emerge to integrate transport capacity to provide standard distribution service for sellers. Such an integrated form of service is…

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, some online retailing platforms emerge to integrate transport capacity to provide standard distribution service for sellers. Such an integrated form of service is defined as delivery alliance (DA). To have a better understanding of how to price the service, this study aims to fixate on the seller’s problems and builds a series of profit maximization models in accordance with the two-sided market pricing theory within a platform business model.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present study, some optimization models are built in the two-sided market type and the optimal solutions are found in a three-dimensional decision space. By using the basic model as the benchmark, some optimization problems of DA in realistic situations are discussed. Particularly, a power-law-distribution model is established to deal with the uncertainty in forecasting. Also, a price-sensitive model and a loss-aversion model are presented to describe the various reactions of sellers to charging modes. Finally, some combined situations are discussed and the strategies are compared under the mentioned models.

Findings

By selecting the basic model as the benchmark, the specific pricing strategies are found for each context to yield the optimal profits. The flexibility of pricing strategy in the basic model and rigid pricing strategies in extended models, are discussed. As a result, the guidelines for the online retailing platforms are developed on designing and pricing the DA service.

Research limitations/implications

First, it would be interesting to expand the pricing plan of the platform. For instance, menu pricing and quantity discount have not been considered, which are common in practice. The time discounting has also been ignored. If the time value were calculated, the contract fees would be more critical due to the earliest of collecting money. Finally, those joiners who have huge order sizes are crucial for the ecosystem indeed, but arouse no attention. While in reality, they may have more power to bargain with the platform. Thus, how the platform competition affects the pricing strategies needs future research.

Originality/value

The optimal pricing strategies under these models are analytically found out, and it is shown that the presented models result in the same scale of joiners and profits in optimization. This suggests that DA works well in various behavioral contexts. This also suggests that DA is a significant controller in service quality improvement. Then, the optimal pricing strategies are compared among all the models. During this, it is discovered that the realistic contexts might reduce the profit, whereas an appropriate pricing strategy can pull this back without loss of service quality.

Details

Nankai Business Review International, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8749

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2009

Lixin Ye, Xiaobing Su and Hanbing Yan

This paper aims to present a picture of the past and the present status of the Distance Education College (DEC) of East China Normal University (ECNU). It describes what the DEC…

616

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a picture of the past and the present status of the Distance Education College (DEC) of East China Normal University (ECNU). It describes what the DEC has achieved in each phase, and probes into some essential problems that the DEC has attempted to solve.

Design/methodology/approach

This article provides a comprehensive description of the development of the DEC by following a case study method.

Findings

The DEC goes through three stages. In the first phase, a teacher‐focused policy and disciplined management are formed. In the second phase, a quality‐first policy is emphasized, and two training modes are developed: the human‐centered management mode and the trainee‐oriented training mode. In the third phase, the DEC initiates further innovation and uses a new platform.

Practical implications

ECNU has witnessed and participated in the development of modern distance education in China. It remains successful in developing distance education. The effort made by the DEC well showcases the overall development and growth of modern distance education in China.

Originality/value

This article presents the development of the DEC and will help readers understand the developmental process of distance education colleges in China.

Details

Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-0741

Keywords

Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 4 June 2021

Julia Slupska and Leonie Maria Tanczer

Technology-facilitated abuse, so-called “tech abuse,” through phones, trackers, and other emerging innovations, has a substantial impact on the nature of intimate partner violence…

Abstract

Technology-facilitated abuse, so-called “tech abuse,” through phones, trackers, and other emerging innovations, has a substantial impact on the nature of intimate partner violence (IPV). The current chapter examines the risks and harms posed to IPV victims/survivors from the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) environment. IoT systems are understood as “smart” devices such as conventional household appliances that are connected to the internet. Interdependencies between different products together with the devices' enhanced functionalities offer opportunities for coercion and control. Across the chapter, we use the example of IoT to showcase how and why tech abuse is a socio-technological issue and requires not only human-centered (i.e., societal) but also cybersecurity (i.e., technical) responses. We apply the method of “threat modeling,” which is a process used to investigate potential cybersecurity attacks, to shift the conventional technical focus from the risks to systems toward risks to people. Through the analysis of a smart lock, we highlight insufficiently designed IoT privacy and security features and uncover how seemingly neutral design decisions can constrain, shape, and facilitate coercive and controlling behaviors.

Details

The Emerald International Handbook of Technology-Facilitated Violence and Abuse
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83982-849-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2009

Qiyun Wang, Zhiting Zhu, Li Chen and Hanbing Yan

The purpose of this paper is to set the context for the papers in this Special Issue, which explore the state of e‐learning in China. It introduces relevant topics such as the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to set the context for the papers in this Special Issue, which explore the state of e‐learning in China. It introduces relevant topics such as the imbalanced development between the Eastern developed region and the Western undeveloped region and the fact that a large number of students who graduate from senior secondary schools cannot go to reputable universities, which drive the development of e‐learning in China. With rapid economic development, China now has the ability to provide better infrastructure and other necessary conditions for schools and universities. E‐learning is believed to be a promising approach since it offers students ways to interact with experienced teachers or professors. The Chinese government has initiated a number of national projects to set up or upgrade the infrastructure in schools, and a number of Chinese online schools and distance education colleges have been established to offer various e‐learning programs.

Design/methodology/approach

This article introduces the case studies that comprise this special issue on e‐learning in China.

Findings

The use of information and communication technologies in education is at different stages in China. This review presents a clear picture on the development of e‐learning in China and the challenges it currently faces.

Practical implications

The paper summarizes the form of e‐learning form China. This information is useful for policymakers, administrators and teachers.

Originality/value

The state of e‐learning in China is under‐represented in Western educational technology journals.

Details

Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-0741

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 November 2023

Maddalena della Volpe, Mónica Yuleni Castro Peña, Alexandra Jaramillo-Gutiérrez and Lloyd Herbert Morris Molina

This chapter investigates a new human-centric perspective oriented to consider society as a whole, by following a systemic vision, where social well-being is important: Industry…

Abstract

This chapter investigates a new human-centric perspective oriented to consider society as a whole, by following a systemic vision, where social well-being is important: Industry 5.0. The analysis is based on the great advantages for the ecosystem, going beyond the custom of affirming technological development and managerial views, favoring the dialog between the actors of the system, the adaptation of technologies to the context in which one operates, choosing the most appropriate business strategies, sustaining smart, sustainable and inclusive solutions in the innovation process. In this sense, big data, internet of things, augmented realities, or robotics are all technologies to increase productivity and improve working conditions but, at the same time, they have to improve social life. To overcome the main related challenges and support the transition, new insights to design innovative strategies urge. Our research aims to explore the scientific literature about Industry 5.0 and its development in the European Union. We carried out a systematic review and a bibliometric analysis of the scientific production through the Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS databases. In addition, our study analyzes how the proposed topic has evolved over time by collecting contributions from different countries and authors. We adopted an innovative tool that goes beyond the traditional statistical methods generally used in bibliometric research, and it allowed us to obtain more advanced results. Our software permitted us to join the findings of two databases simultaneously, such as WoS and SCOPUS, to generate a bibliometric analysis and identify new paradigm trends.

Details

Digitalization, Sustainable Development, and Industry 5.0
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-191-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 25 January 2021

Sam Wai Kam Yu, Iris Po Yee Lo and Ruby Chui Man Chau

Purpose – This chapter aims to explore the strategies used by the Hong Kong government to respond to the adult worker model and the male-breadwinner model; and to explore the

Abstract

Purpose – This chapter aims to explore the strategies used by the Hong Kong government to respond to the adult worker model and the male-breadwinner model; and to explore the views of women on the desirability of these strategies. The male-breadwinner model posits that men work full-time outside the home and women take on domestic work. The adult worker model suggests that women and men should be equally expected to participate in formal employment.

Design/methodology/approach – This chapter analyses the policy measures used by the Hong Kong government to support women in their participation in formal employment and the local work-based pension scheme (the Mandatory Provident Fund) as well as other policy measures that offer potential for enabling family care providers to accumulate resources for secure retirement. Additionally, it draws on semi-structured interviews with 30 Hong Kong young women to examine their views on the extent to which the government supports them to save pension incomes.

Findings – This study shows that the Hong Kong government uses a ‘weak action strategy’ to respond to the adult worker model and the male-breadwinner model, and that this strategy fails to meet women’s diverse preferences for their roles in the labour market and the family.

Originality/value – Based on a newly developed framework, this study examines the responses made by the government to both the male-breadwinner model and the adult worker model. It sheds new insights into possible ways of assisting women to achieve secure retirement .

Details

Chinese Families: Tradition, Modernisation, and Change
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-157-0

Keywords

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