Does China have more than one culture?

This paper empirically compares regional differences in the work-related values of Chinese employees, using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. In terms of individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation, statistically significant differences were found across regions. Shenzhen scored higher on individualism and uncertainty avoidance than did Taiyuan. By contrast, Taiyuan scored higher than Shenzhen on long-term orientation. This regional difference with regard to individualism should not be surprising in light of China’s recent rapid economic development, as economic development is generally positively correlated with individualism. Economic development in shifting from an agricultural to an industrial economy is positively correlated with uncertainty avoidance. These results, as well as the fact that Shenzhen is now becoming China’s most successful economic area as the country experiences a degree of economic liberalization, in part explain Shenzhen’s higher uncertainty avoidance score. In a similar vein, Taiyuan was shown to exhibit a stronger long-term orientation than Shenzhen.     

Facebook fan page: the effect of perceived socialness in consumer–brand communication

Facebook has become an important platform for a brand–consumer relationship channel. The current study investigates the influence of perceived socialness and its effect on consumers’ attitude toward brands. Participants (N = 404) were recruited in a large southeast university. A 2 (socialness: high vs. low)?×?2 (feedback control: high vs. low)?×?2 (brand image: high vs. low) between-subject design was conducted. The results of this study identified three important findings. First, high (vs. low) socialness elicited higher perceived relationship commitment, brand trust, and more favorable brand attitude. Second, the effect of socialness on brand attitude was moderated by brand image (positive vs. negative). Third, the mediation analysis showed that the effect of socialness (high vs. low) on brand attitude was fully mediated by perceived relationship commitment and brand trust.     

Can commodity futures risk factors predict economic growth?

This paper examines whether commodity futures risk factors can predict future economic growth. We test risk factors capturing various spot or term premia and find that only three factors capturing term premia on the basis-momentum, basis, and change in slope are robust predictors for future economic growth, especially for long horizons. Our findings highlight the importance of the term premia, rather than the spot premia on which the literature has mainly focused. Moreover, we find that possible explanations for predictability of commodity factors—the intertemporal asset pricing model and information diffusion explanation—are all inconsistent with our empirical results.     

What induces online loyalty? Online versus offline brand images

This study investigates the effect of the interplay between a multi-channel retailer's offline and online brand images on consumers' online perceived risk and online loyalty within the framework of a theory of cognitive dissonance. A sample of 671 female college students participated in an experiment using a 2 (prior offline brand image) × 2 (online performance) between-subjects design. Results reveal that offline brand image exerts significant effects on online brand image - which, in turn, significantly explains online perceived risk - and online customer loyalty. However, online perceived risk has no significant effect on online customer loyalty after controlling for the effects of online and offline brand images. These results provide implications for the direct and indirect halo effects of offline brand image and the direct effect of online performance that may influence consumers' perceptions, expectations, and loyalty regarding multi-channel retailers.