Search results

From the dedication–constraint perspective, this study aims to complement ongoing discussions on the effects of switching costs on performance and explain the role of customer involvement and relationship quality in the relationship between switching costs and performance.

After collecting data from Chinese manufacturing firms, the authors employed structural equation modeling to test their theoretical model incorporating switching costs, new product development performance, relationship quality and customer involvement.

The findings show that switching costs negatively affect three dimensions of new product development performance covering new product development market performance, new product development speed, new product development cost. More importantly, relationship quality positively moderates the relationship between switching costs and new product development performance, while customer involvement takes positive moderation effects.

These conclusions contribute to the knowledge of switching costs and supplier–customer relationship, and provide theoretical contributions and managerial insights for both academics and practitioners.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a deterministic equivalent income model (DEIM) based on the risk cost (RC) and risk aversion of investors. The model fully considers both subjective and objective factors that affect risk investment and reasonably evaluates risk investment schemes to choose the correct investment scheme and gain greater investment returns.

The utility function is used to measure the extent to which an investor is satisfied by investment returns in various scenarios. Risk aversion expresses subjective attitude of investors to risk. RC represents risk loss in currency. This methodology is based on risk aversion function, utility function and RC theory to establish DEIM.

This study shows that investors with different risk preferences have different certainty equivalent returns (CER), so their choices of investment options change accordingly.

In this paper, the authors use DEIM to test an investment case and conclude that the CER and investment scheme both change with different risk preferences. At the same time, case analysis shows that DEIM is reasonable and stable when evaluating risk investment schemes.

In this study, the authors innovate by introducing both the RC and risk aversion degree into risk investment schemes evaluation and by deriving a utility function from the absolute risk aversion function to build a utility decision matrix and establish DEIM. The model combines the subjective and objective factors that influence risk investment decisions.

This study aims to compare the friction and wear behaviors of Fe_68.3C_6.9Si_2.5 B_6.7P_8.8Cr_2.2Al_2.1Mo_2.5 bulk metallic glass (BMG) under sliding using dry, deionized water-lubricated and oil-lubricated conditions. The comparison was performed using a unidirectional ball-on-flat tribometer under different applied loads, and the results were compared to the properties of a conventional material, SUJ2. Fe-based BMG materials have recently been attracting a great deal of attention for prospective engineering applications.

As a part of the development of Fe-based BMGs that can be cost-effectively produced in large quantities, an Fe-based BMG Fe_68.8C_7.0Si_3.5B_5.0P_9.6 Cr_2.1Mo_2.0Al_2.0 with high glass forming ability was fabricated. In the present study, the friction and wear properties of Fe-based BMG has been comparatively evaluated under dry sliding, deionized water- and oil-lubricated conditions using a unidirectional ball-on-flat tribometer under different applied loads, and the results were compared to the properties of conventional material SUJ2.

The results show that the Fe-based BMG had better friction performance than the conventional material. Both the friction coefficient and wear mass loss increased with increasing load. The sliding wear mechanism of the BMG changed with the sliding conditions. Under dry sliding conditions, the wear scar of the Fe-based BMG was characterized by abrasive wear, plastic deformation, micro-cracks and peeling-off wear. Under water- and oil-lubricated conditions, the wear scar was mainly characterized by abrasive wear and micro-cutting.

In this investigation, the authors developed a new BMG alloy Fe_68.8C_7.0Si_3.5B_5.0P_9.6Cr_2.1Mo_2.0Al_2.0 to improve the friction and wear performance under dry sliding, deionized water- and oil- lubricated conditions.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric study of housing prices according to the articles collected by the Web of Science (WOS).

This paper studies 4,125 research papers on housing prices in the core collection database of WOS. Using VOSviewer, this paper makes a bibliometric and visual analysis of the housing prices research from 1960 to 2020 and probes into the housing prices research from five aspects: time, international cooperation, institutions author cooperation and research focuses.

Keywords such as influencing factors of housing prices, analysis of supply and demand, policy and housing prices and regional cities appear frequently, which indicates the main direction of housing price research literature. Recent common keywords include regression analysis and house price forecast. Countries, like the USA started early in the study of housing prices, and the means and methods in the field of housing price research are mature, leading the forefront of housing price research. Compared with the USA and other Western developed countries, the housing price research in developing countries needs to use innovative research methods and put more effort on sustainability. Research shows that housing price is closely related to economy, and keyword cluster analysis shows that gross domestic product, interest rate, currency and other keywords related to economy are of high-frequency.

This paper only uses articles from one database (WOS), which does not represent all research papers published worldwide. Some studies have been published for a long time, and the reference value to the research focuses and future research might be limited. There are many kinds of journals included in the study with different publishing frequencies, time ranges and numbers of papers. These may have some influence on the research results.

The main theoretical contribution of this paper is to supplement the current academic research on housing prices. This paper reveals the key points of housing prices research and possible research problems that need attention. We can know from the future research direction and practice which can offer insights for future innovative direction.

This paper investigates the reasons for the differences in customers' acceptance of service robots (CASR) in actual experience and credence service settings for the following two aspects: (1) different antecedents affecting CASR and (2) different customer perceptions of their own characteristics (role clarity and ability) and service robot characteristics (anthropomorphism and ability).

The data were collected using online surveys in an experience service setting (Hotel, N = 426) and a credence service setting (Hospital, N = 406). Differences in experience and credence service settings were examined using two statistical methods, namely, PLS-SEM to test the differences in antecedents affecting CASR and independent-samples t-tests to test the differences in customer perceptions of their own characteristics and service robot characteristics.

The results indicate that customers in an experience (vs credence) service setting have stronger positive attitudes toward and a greater intention to use service robots. Further, this paper finds there are two key reasons for the differences in CASR. The first is different antecedents. Perceived usefulness is positively influenced by the anthropomorphism of a service robot and customer ability in the experience service setting, but is influenced not in the credence service setting. Conversely, service robot autonomy positively relates to perceived ease of use in the credence service setting, but does not in the experience service setting. The second reason for CASR differences is different customer perceptions. Customers' ability and perceived ease of use are higher, while their perception of anthropomorphism of the service robot is lower in the experience (vs credence) service setting.

This study helps explain why there are differences in the CASR in different settings and presents two perspectives: (1) antecedents' affecting CASR and (2) customer perceptions of their own as well as service robot characteristics.

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of product innovation novelty on the relationship between customer involvement and new product development (NPD) cost performance.

The authors use organizational information processing theory and adopt hierarchical regression and slope difference test to assess the relationships between constructs and test the hypotheses.

The authors evaluate the concept of product innovation novelty from the perspectives of suppliers and customers and infer that these two types of product innovation novelty exert a moderate effect on the relationship between customer involvement and NPD cost performance. First, product innovation novelty for customers strengthens the positive effects of customer involvement on the NPD cost performance. Second, product innovation novelty for suppliers weakens the positive impact of customer involvement on the NPD cost performance. The authors also find that the interaction between product innovation novelty for suppliers and product innovation novelty for customers weakens the positive impact of customer involvement on NPD cost performance.

The findings of this study explain the reasons for the controversies surrounding the impact of customer involvement on cost performance and discuss the role of product innovation novelty in customer involvement in NPD process. The results of this study can be used to establish whether customer involvement improves or weakens NPD cost performance and identify the role of product innovation novelty in NPD. The conclusions derived from this study can provide theoretical knowledge and managerial insights for both academicians and corporate professionals.

This study aims to investigate the impact of venture capital (VC) involvement on investment efficiency (IE) and its potential action mechanisms from the perspective of financial resource allocation.

Using data of Chinese firms between 2008 and 2020, and the propensity score matching–difference in differences method, the authors investigate the relationship between VC and IE.

The results show that VC involvement significantly promotes IE, and the effect exhibits an inverted U-shape dynamic over time. The authors find two mechanisms through which VC promotes IE: alleviating financing constraints and improving corporate governance. Supplementary tests indicate that VC institutions with high reputations play a significant role in enhancing IE; the promotion effect is more pronounced for firms in non-high-tech industries, firms facing higher industrial competition and firms located in areas with better property rights protection systems.

This study provides several original contributions. First, based on principal–agent and financing constraint theories, this study enhances the literature by revealing how VC drives the IE of newly public firms in China. Second, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to identify the mechanisms between VC and IE; Third, from an empirical perspective, besides discussing the average and dynamic effect of VC on IE, this study also explores the impact of the interaction between VC and market competition and property rights protection on IE.

This study investigated the underlying influence mechanism between mHealth service quality (SQ) and users' adoption intention and compared the differences of consumer individual decision-making behaviors between the pre-adoption stage and the post-adoption stages.

This study built the pre-adoption and post-adoption models based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model. Besides, this study collected 14,221 independent samples from 40 studies of pre-adoption intention to use and 12,876 independent samples from 36 studies of post-adoption intention to continue using and used meta-analysis structural equation modeling (MASEM) method to explore the formation of mHealth service quality influence on consumers toward adoption intention.

The results showed that (1) service quality positively trigger users' cognition response (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived trust) and further positively drove the adoption and continuance intention; (2) there are similarities and differences in the relative importance of users' cognitive response between service quality and adoption intention at pre-adoption and post-adoption stages; (3) perceived trust (PTRU) played the most significant mediator in predicting users' adoption intention in both two stages; (4) perceived usefulness had a stronger influence than perceived ease of use (PEOU) on the adoption intention in pre-adoption while the result was just opposite in post-adoption stage.

This study could help service providers effectively allocate their limited resources to improve user adoption intention.

This study is the first one to open the black box of the underlying influence mechanisms between mHealth service quality and individual adoption intention in mHealth services and show differences in consumer decision-making according to the adoption stage. It provides a new perspective to the research in mHealth.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of individuals willingly opting for employment positions that do not fully use their education, skills and abilities, a phenomenon known as voluntary overqualification. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence and the formation mechanism of this emerging phenomenon. Drawing upon social cognition theory, this study explores the relationship between work values and voluntary overqualification while also examining the mediating role of the future work self and the moderating role of perceived marketability.

This study used a longitudinal approach, collecting data through questionnaires administered at multiple time points. The sample consisted of 607 employees from various departments of five Chinese companies. Regression analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS was used to test the research hypotheses.

The results indicate a positive relationship between employees’ work values and voluntary overqualification. Furthermore, this relationship is mediated by the future work self. Additionally, perceived marketability plays a moderating intermediary role in the whole model.

This study contributes to the overqualification literature by introducing a novel type of overqualification and unveiling the mechanism by which work values influence voluntary overqualification. The findings provide insights for understanding and managing employees who are voluntarily overqualified.

This study aims to compares the effects of different human-like appearances (low vs. medium vs. high) of service robots (SRs) on consumer trust in service robots (CTSR), examines the mediating role of perceived warmth (WA) and perceived competence (CO) and demonstrates the moderating role of culture and service setting.

The research design includes three scenario-based experiments (Chinese hotel setting, American hotel setting, Chinese hospital setting).

Study 1 found SR’s human-like appearance can arouse perceived anthropomorphism (PA), which positively affects CTSR through parallel mediators (WA and CO). Study 2 revealed consumers from Chinese (vs. American) culture had higher CTSR. Study 3 showed consumers had higher WA and CO for SRs in the credence (vs. experience) service setting. The authors also had an exploratory analysis of the uncanny valley phenomenon.

The findings have practical implications for promoting the diffusion of SRs in the hospitality industry. Managers can increase CTSR by augmenting the anthropomorphic design of SRs; however, they must consider the differences in this effect across all service recipients (consumers from different cultures) and service settings.

The authors introduce WA and CO as mediators between PA and CTSR and set the culture and service setting as moderators.