Retailing Innovations in a Globalizing Retail Market Environment

In recent years, the combination of economic growth and population growth in emerging markets and less developed markets has accelerated the progression of globalization of retailing and globalization by retailers. The challenges faced by global and globalizing retailers (retailers who currently have or intend to establish a market presence in mature markets, emerging markets and less developed markets) can be more daunting compared to those faced by firms in other industries such as automobiles, steel, and computers. Retailing innovations that are responsive to the characteristics of distinctive national markets and broader aggregations of markets such as mature, emerging and less developed markets are critical to the success of global and globalizing retailers. Against this backdrop, this paper focuses on retailing innovations in the context of a globalizing retailing environment. It attempts to shed insights into the characteristics of retailing innovations conducive to superior performance in distinctive national markets and across broader aggregations of markets. Towards this end, we first examine the environmental conditions of markets in different development stages, namely mature, emerging and less developed markets, and explore consumer based, industry based, and legal/regulatory based challenges faced by globalizing retailers in these markets. Second, we show how these challenges can be transformed into opportunities with retailing innovations. We conclude with a roadmap for future research and present propositions on future development with respect to retailing innovations in these markets.     

Do US macroeconomic conditions affect Asian stock markets?

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of US macroeconomic conditions—namely, exchange rate and short-term interest rate—on the stock markets of seven Asian countries (China, India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea). We use daily data for the period 2000–2010. We divide the sample into a pre-crisis period (pre-August 2007) and a crisis period (post-August 2007). We find that, in the short-run, the interest rate has a statistically insignificant effect on returns for all countries, except for the Philippines in the crisis period. On the other hand, except for China, regardless of the crisis, depreciation has a statistically significant and negative effect on returns. When the long-run relationship among the variables is considered, for five of the seven countries (India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand), while there is cointegration in the pre-crisis period, in the crisis period there is no such relationship, implying that the financial crisis has actually weakened the link between stock prices and economic fundamentals.     

Stakeholder prioritization and reporting: Evidence from Italy and the US

This study investigates the considerations that might be made by managers when choosing between mutually exclusive stakeholder expectations and reaching and engaging in a dialogue with them. In addition, the study also examines if there are systematic differences across countries (Italy and the US) in the decision to address the concerns of various stakeholder groups. Data was collected from 244 managers and 72 companies simultaneously in two different national business contexts, Italy and the US. The results of the study provide some evidence that managerial perception of three stakeholder group characteristics – power, legitimacy, and urgency – form a parsimonious group of variables that explain the process of stakeholder prioritization. However, only limited support was found for the relationship between salience accorded to a stakeholder group and engagement efforts directed toward the group. The results of the study also show that the managerial decision as to which of the stakeholder groups’ demands to address will be influenced by society-specific expectations. The significance of this study lies in investigating the stakeholder prioritization and engagement process, as it is being practiced, which, one could argue, would help in developing guidelines for effective stakeholder management that stands a realistic chance of being adapted and followed.     

The determinants of inter-industry variations in the proportion of intra-firm trade: The behaviour of US multinationals

Zusammenfassung Die Bestimmungsgründe für interindustrielle Unterschiede im Anteil des firmeninternen Handels. Das Verhalten US-amerikanischer multinationaler Firmen. — Die Autoren untersuchen die Bestimmungsgründe der interindustriellen Unterschiede im Anteil der firmeninternen Exporte und Importe am Handel von US-amerikanischen Muttergesellschaften im Jahr {dy1982} für 32 Industriezweige. Der Intra-Firmen-Handel internalisiert den Handel im Rahmen der multinationalen Unternehmen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, da? es gro?e Internalisierungsvorteile in forschungs- sowie in humankapital-intensiven Industrien gibt. Der Anteil von firmeninternen Exporten aus den USA war ebenfalls hoch in Industrien, die einen überdurchschnittlich hohen Aufwand bei der Verkaufsf?rderung und Markterschlie?ung erfordern. Die Studie deutet auch darauf hin, da? es im Gefolge der US-Umweltvorschriften dazu kommen kann, da? Industrien in andere L?nder verlagert und von dort firmeninterne Exporte in die USA durchgeführt werden.

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Résumé Les facteurs déterminants des variations inter-industrielles dans le partage du commerce intra-entreprise: Le comportement des entreprises multi-nationales américaines. — Cette étude analyse les facteurs déterminants des variations inter-industrielles dans le partage des exportations et importations intra-entreprise dans le commerce des sociétés mères américaines concernant 32 branches industrielles en 1982. Le commerce intra-entreprise intensifie le commerce au sein des entreprises multi-nationales. L’étude démontre que l’avantage du commerce intra-entreprise est très grand dans les branches qui sont caractérisées par la recherche-développement et par une main-d’œuvre très qualifiée. La proportion des exportations intra-entreprise venant des Etats Unis a été aussi élevée dans les industries caractérisées par des dépenses hautes pour la vente et le développement du marché. L’étude indique aussi la possibilité que le lieu de production est déplacé aux autres pays à cause des lois américaines anti-pollution et que les importations intra-entreprise sont la conséquence.

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Resumen Las déterminantes de las variaciones interindustriales del comercio intraempresa: el comportamiento de las multinacionales de los EE UU. — En este trabajo se analizan las determinantes de las variaciones interindustriales de las proporciones de exportaciones e importaciones intraempresa en el comercio de casas matrices de los EE UU en al ano {dy1982}, considerando 32 ramas de la industria manufacturera. El comercio intraempresa internaliza el comercio entre las multinacionales. Se muestra que las ventajas derivadas de la internalización son grandes en industrias intensivas en I&D y mano de obra calificada. La proporción de exportaciones intraempresa desde los EE UU también son altas en industrias con importantes gastos en el ámbito de las ventas y en el desarrollo de mercados. También se indica la posibilidad de que empresas de los EE UU tengan que ubicarse en otros países y que dedicarse a las importaciones intraempresa, debido a las leyes contra la contaminación ambiental vigentes en los EEUU.

     

A PRACTITIONER'S DECISION MODEL FOR THE TOTAL COST OF OUTSOURCING AND APPLICATION TO CHINA,MEXICO, AND THE UNITED STATES

Outsourcing of manufacturing to Mexico and China includes costs that are not always considered and benefits that are not always correctly quantified. An analytical model for determining outsourcing costs was developed and results from that model are presented. Using that model, the sensitivity of outsourcing costs to several variables was modeled and analyzed. Guidance is provided regarding factors to consider in an outsourcing decision.     

How warm is the corporate response to climate change? Evidence from Pakistan and the UK

In response to growing consensus among scientists and governments to act fast to avoid dangerous impacts of climate change, many industries have started to prepare for a carbon‐constrained world. However, this response is far from being uniform. Often action is predicated on economic, technological, organizational and institutional drivers and barriers, which vary between countries and across industrial sectors. In order to understand the effectiveness of industry response, it is therefore important to analyse corporate response across different sectors in different countries. Focusing on the nine most energy‐intensive and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting industrial sectors, this paper compares corporate responses to climate change in Pakistan and the UK. By analysing the divergence of strategies adopted by industries across different sectors in two countries, the paper examines the key factors influencing corporate adoption and implementation of GHG reduction and energy‐efficiency strategies in Pakistan and the UK. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Toward Closing the Loop between Infrastructure Investments and Societal and Economic Impacts

The long-term value proposition of transportation infrastructure investments can be significantly distorted if the short-term effects of spatial externalities on land use patterns, economic expansions, and migration patterns are not properly included in the analysis. Some of these effects occur over a short period of time and soon after the investment materializes, whereas others take longer and follow more steady patterns. In this article, we develop a novel dynamical model of a primal society with constructs that are specifically geared toward transportation infrastructure expansions and investments. The model quantifies the impact of these expansions on some key performance indicators and on the overall utility and production capacity of the society. We argue that traditional analytical models that work on the premises of stationary behavior and a static response of society to changes in infrastructure do not correctly capture these effects. The land use patterns and spatial expansion computed from the model are validated against existing theory on land use. Preliminary results on how to use the model for value proposition analysis are also presented using simple case studies.     

Impact of Online Reviews on Consumer’s Hotel Booking Intentions: Does Brand Image Mediate?

Abstract

The recent trend suggests that people are more inclined to online hotel reviews to take online hotel booking decisions. The present study argues that when consumers are exposed to online hotel reviews, it draws an impression of the hotel brand in the mind of consumers, resulting in influence their hotel booking intentions. The current study determines the mediation effects of brand image between credible online hotel reviews and consumers’ hotel booking intentions. To ascertain the uni-dimensionality of the scales, the present study executes exploratory factor analysis. The ensure the internal consistency of the variable scales, the study determines Cronbach’s alpha. To measure the mediation effects, the present study performs structural equation modeling bootstrapping method. Data analysis reveals that marketers should look at hedonic brand image, which ultimately influences consumers’ hotel booking intentions. This is a unique study that ascertains the type of brand image that actually mediates between the impact of online hotel reviews and consumers’ hotel booking intentions. In addition, the paper furnishes theoretical background on how people interpret online hotel reviews and its effects.     

Market Justification for Policy on Small Enterprise Development

The process of liberalization in developing economies and the increasing competition faced by Small Enterprises raise crucial policy issues on small enterprise development. The policy maker in developing economies like India are faced with the option of supporting small enterprises through steps like reserving certain industries or by developing their ability to compete in niche markets. Enterprise level decisions are also critical for survival of these organisations. Selecting from these options require an understanding of the advantages that small enterprises have over the large enterprises. The advantage of flexibility and responsiveness to consumer needs of small enterprise is expected to result in customer satisfaction in a market with differing consumer needs. The hypothesis relates customer satisfaction to market share in a heterogeneous market. A field study is carried out among consumers of packaged butter in a state in India. The results do not indicate customer satisfaction with lower market share in a heterogeneous market.     

Mixed Market Competition in a Quality Differentiated Duopoly Model An Approach to Banking Sector

This paper attempts to develop a theoretical framework to investigate the competitive implications of quality choices of financial institutions whereby they charge prices to consumers based on their willingness to pay for the service qualities in the mixed market scenario under vertical product differentiation model. Initially, it analyzes benchmark equilibrium solutions of monopoly and duopoly to establish the degree of quality differentiation between two private banks in an uncover market configuration. Further, it estimates the quality differentiation between private and public banks, and examines the interaction between two market structures keeping public bank as both leader and follower, and then measures the social welfare from different prospectives. The explicit operation of two stages Nash equilibrium game forecasted that public banks＇ monopoly seems to be still better than a private banking, and it is socially optimal. The outcome demonstrates a significant importance of vertical quality differentiation for policy implication in banking industry and provides an insight on the reasons of particular co-existence of public and private banking services in the specified location. In this context, it is concluded that the presence of public banks in banking industries is a crucial condition for obtaining the higher range of social welfare.