Fitness Apps's purchase behaviour: Amalgamation of Stimulus-Organism-Behaviour-Consequence framework (S–O–B–C) and the innovation resistance theory (IRT)

With the rise in popularity and use of fitness apps, more research is needed to learn more about how people use the apps so that they keep using them. Stimulus-Organism-Behaviour-Consequence framework (S–O–B–C) and the Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT) together in this study to learn more about how people make decisions about how to use apps for fitness. Eight hundred and fifty-eight users of various fitness apps have responded to the questionnaire. Results show that people who are open to changing their fitness systems from traditional to app-based services enjoy new experiences and new product behaviours. For them, the perceived functional barriers to service adoption don't hold them back. At the same time the users of fitness apps try to get health and fitness information from as many sources as possible, like friends, peer groups, the newspaper and social networking apps. Users with a high level of health consciousness are more likely to be active in their health and fitness. People who use apps make decisions based on new information from the integrated model. App providers should think about how to get and keep users interested in their apps, personalise their experience, and design features that make users invested in the apps.     

A global perspective on combating Shanzhai products: Cross-cultural solutions

To compete on the world market, companies from emerging economies often adapt their innovations to satisfy unique cultural needs. They do so, in part, by copying the products of their western counterparts with a degree of modification. This approach is referred to as Shanzhai, which is a Chinese neologism meaning “copycat.” In this article, we discuss the Shanzhai phenomenon and explain Shanzhai's development stages and threats to original brands across the globe. Then, we examine how cultural factors (i.e., power distance belief, face consciousness, and analytic vs. holistic-thinking style) influence consumers’ perception towards Shanzhai products. We further suggest that original manufacturers should adopt selected strategies to combat Shanzhai threats vis-à-vis three cultural drivers. One driver entails launching full product lines and developing new distribution channels in high power distance belief cultures but promoting brand originality in low power distance belief cultures. A second alternative involves embracing a sustainable and green brand image in low face-sensitive cultures but strengthening brand logo impacts and enhancing intangible brand benefits—such as social value (e.g., brand user profile, prestige)—in high face-sensitive cultures. The third entails communicating integrated product values in holistic-thinking cultures but highlighting an offering's most competitive and unique features in analytic-thinking cultures.     

社会保障支出、地区差异与积极老龄化

积极老龄化作为应对老龄化挑战的一种有效手段,能提高老年人的晚年生活质量,充分发挥老年人的“余热”,然而现有研究在一定程度上缺乏对积极老龄化前因变量的深入探索。文章构建了老年群体的社会保障支出影响社会参与意识形成及其转化为社会参与行为的理论框架,并用泰尔指数解析社会保障支出对积极老龄化的省际影响和区域影响,以捕捉积极老龄化的客观和主观条件。运用中国动态劳动力调查(CLDS)和2017年《中国统计年鉴》数据进行的实证研究表明:人均社会保障支出对积极老龄化的发展具有显著负向影响;社会保障支出水平对积极老龄化的发展产生显著正向影响;老年人的人力资本、工作经历和健康持久性在人均社会保障支出与积极老龄化之间存在显著调节效应;东中西三大经济带的社会保障支出差异对积极老龄化的影响不显著,但相邻省份的社会保障支出差异对积极老龄化具有显著负向影响。     

Building smallholder farmers' capacity to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices in flood prone areas: Lessons from Bangladesh

Currently, there is an increased interest in promoting climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) around the globe, however, application of these practices may vary for different climate risk hotspots. Although, climate field schools (CFS) are conducted with the aim of empowering farmers with knowledge on the various agricultural practices, little attention has been devoted to building the capacity of smallholder farmers to facilitate adoption of appropriate CSAPs. Given the effects of climate change on agriculture, it is fundamental for agricultural sustainability to answer the question that has hardly benefited from empirical analysis in previous land use studies, which is: Do CFS build farmers' capacity to adopt CSA in flood prone areas? Cross-sectional data from 600 rural farm households in south Bangladesh is used and the recursive bivariate probit (RBP) is applied to address this knowledge gap. The results reveal that participation in CFS increases the probability of a farmer's soil salinity consciousness by 25% and eventually improves the probability to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices by 20%. We also analyzed the spillover effects of CFS participation on CSA adoption and found that there is a strong spillover effect which has important implications on the cost effectiveness and sustainability of the program. Overall, the study provides empirical evidence demonstrating that participatory approaches stimulate adoption of appropriate CSAPs by building farmers' capacity in recognizing the existing climate risk hotspots.