The trade facilitation impact of the Chinese diaspora

Using an enhanced data set on the population share of overseas Chinese in 1970 and 1990, this paper analyses the impact of the Chinese diaspora on facilitating China's bilateral trade during the period 1973–2013. Our findings suggest substantial trade creation effects resulting from the presence of ethnic Chinese in the trade partner population. Diaspora impacts on Chinese bilateral imports are in general higher than those found for exports. Coethnic networks play a larger role as long as the partner country does not have an RTA with China in place. Among export sectors, effects found were strongest for food, as well as for machinery and transport equipment. In regard to imports, coethnic networks matter mostly for raw materials, machinery and transport equipment, and chemicals.     

Determinants of Consumer Perceptions toward Mobile Advertising — A Comparison between Japan and Austria

Mobile marketing provides an innovative channel for transmitting advertising messages to customers via mobile devices. The growth of mobile advertising in recent years requires that researchers and practitioners understand consumer perceptions of this form of advertising. The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors influencing the perception of mobile advertising in different cultures. Based on samples from Austria and Japan, we empirically examine relevant m-advertising effects. The results suggest that infotainment and credibility are key factors predicting advertising value among Austrians and the Japanese. However, our findings show that Japanese customers are more irritated by mobile advertising than are Austrian respondents.     

Two Lighthouses to Navigate: Effects of Ideal and Counter-Ideal Values on Follower Identification and Satisfaction with Their Leaders

Ideals (or ideal values) help people to navigate in social life. They indicate at a very fundamental level what people are concerned about, what they strive for, and what they want to be affiliated with. Transferring this to a leader–follower analysis, our first study (n = 306) confirms that followers’ identification and satisfaction with their leaders are stronger, the more leaders match followers’ ideal leader values. Study 2 (n = 244) extends the perspective by introducing the novel concept of counter-ideals (i.e., how an ideal leader should not be) as a second, non-redundant point of reference. Results confirm that a leader’s match on ideal and on counter-ideal values have independent effects in that both explain unique variance in followers’ identification and satisfaction with their leader. Study 3 (n = 136) replicates the previous results in an experimental scenario study and provides evidence for the proposed causal direction of the underlying process. We conclude that counter-ideal values might be an additional point of reference that people use to triangulate targets above and beyond ideal values and discuss the implications of our findings for value research and management.     

Österreichs Alterssicherung: Vorbild für Deutschland?

As a result of political reforms, pension provision in Germany is the task of a multi pillar model including private and occupational schemes in addition to the public pension insurance. By contrast, the Austrian single pillar model has been developed into an encompassing public insurance system now also covering the self employed and civil servants. A comparison of the two countries shows that the Austrian system provides much higher benefits. Economic developments in Germany and Austria have been rather close in recent years. This, we argue, shows that a strong public pension insurance does not hamper a country’s economic performance.     

Ageing in Europe

For many people all over Europe, there is an understanding and an expectation that in old age they will be taken care of by the state. High social security contributions throughout the three or four decades of a working life are rationalised by the prospect of a straightforward transition out of the labour force when the time comes. While this was a reasonable expectation in decades past, a number of factors have combined to cause people all across the continent to feel very anxious about what awaits them once it is time to exit the labour force into retirement. The well-documented demographic transition of many rich European countries is a big factor, as greying populations start to weigh on the sparser younger generations, leading to increasing dependency ratios that would cause any social security system to buckle. The Great Recession has not helped matters, and the austerity measures still crippling many vulnerable European nations will not make anyone in these countries feel optimistic about their post-working lives. The following papers look at different threads of the new reality of ageing in Europe, from pension reform and prolonging the working life to more qualitative aspects such as an analysis of the quality of life of the elderly across Europe. They serve to inform and advise on an important issue that will affect everyone in Europe at some point in their lives.     

The EC and the changes in Central and Eastern Europe

Political developments in Central and Eastern Europe and the process of German unification present the EC with a major challenge. How has the EC reacted to these changes so far? What contribution can the eC make to overcoming the division of Europe?     

Über einige Ansätze der Wachstumstheorie

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 3 TextabbildungenProfessor Dr. Dr. Dr. h. c. Dr. h. c. Walter Georg Waffenschmidt zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.