Economic policy uncertainty and imitation behaviors of corporate social responsibility practices: Evidence from China

In this paper, we examine whether firms facing higher economic policy uncertainty (EPU) are more likely to show similar corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices compared with their peer firms. Drawing upon institutional theory, in response to uncertainty under complex circumstances, managers tend to imitate peer firms' strategic actions to acquire legitimacy. Consistent with our theoretical expectations, we find that EPU increases the likelihood that a focal firm will show CSR practices similar to its peer firms. Such a likelihood is amplified for firms that (1) bear more negative media coverage, (2) have higher industry competition intensity, (3) belong to heavy-polluting industries, and (4) for the first-time disclosures. Our results hold when we employ a series of endogeneity tests and robustness checks.     

Role of multidimensional customer brand engagement on customer behavior for online grocery shopping

This study aims to understand the relationship between environmental consciousness and multidimensional (i.e., cognition, affection, and activation aspects) of customer brand engagement (CBE) in relation to online grocery shopping. It also investigates the moderating effect of customer characteristics on the associations among environmental consciousness, CBE, and behavior intention. 358 Korean respondents took part in this research using an online survey to assess the impacts of multidimensional CBE for online grocery. The outcomes reveal that environmental consciousness positively influences cognition and activation aspects of CBE. Additionally, activation, affection, and cognition aspects of CBE positively affect behavioral intention. Multi-group analysis is performed to identify the difference among customers in low and high customer characteristics. In addition, by demonstrating a role for CBE, this study adds to the existing literature on online grocery. Furthermore, the outcomes of this research provide direction for building marketing strategies for online groceries for marketers and practitioners.     

Strategic product showcasing mode of E-commerce live streaming

E-commerce live streaming can considerably help brands improve sales dynamics, but it is multiple dilemmas in choosing suitable e-commerce live streaming product showcasing modes. To address the multiple dilemmas, we first employ the Stackelberg game to depict three e-commerce live streaming product showcasing modes: brand self-live streaming, influencer-led live streaming mixture, and influencer-led special live streaming. Second, we analyze the relationship between choices and game parameters, including live streaming stimulus sensitivity, unit service quality improvement cost, and service sensitivity. Meanwhile, through the comparative analysis of the three modes, we get the optimal threshold of each mode. Last, we conduct a case study comparing Chinese apparel and accessories brands Hodo and RUANS to verify the above relations. The results suggest that: (i) the more sensitive consumers are to live streaming stimulus, the more beneficial it is for the brand manufacturer to employ special live streaming, while the increase in unit service quality improvement cost will harm the brand manufacturer; (ii) the fixed participation fee determines the choice of e-commerce live streaming product showcasing modes; (iii) e-commerce live streaming product showcasing modes can help brands to optimize their decision-making.     

Predicting inflation expectations: A habit-based explanation under hedging

One of the main challenges monetary policymakers face is predicting the trajectory of short-term inflation, especially considering the consistently flat Phillips curve observed in recent years. A promising approach to tackling this challenge involves modifying the hybrid New Keynesian Phillips curve (HNKPC) by incorporating a hedging factor. This factor accounts for the efforts risk-averse economic agents make to safeguard their spending decisions against uncertainties arising from inflation. Our study provides evidence that the hedging factor plays a crucial role and is a statistically significant predictor of the upcoming year's inflation rate. Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in the hedging factor predicts a positive rise in short-term inflation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the hedging factor significantly determines the common component found in both well-known survey-based and model-based inflation expectation indicators.     

Stakeholder orientation and managerial incentives: Evidence from a natural experiment

This paper examines the influence of stakeholder orientation on the design of managerial incentives. Our tests exploit the quasi-natural experiment provided by the staggered adoption of directors' duties laws (i.e., state-level laws that explicitly expand board members' duties to act in the best interests of all stakeholders). We find that the enactment of these laws results in a significant decrease in the sensitivity of CEO wealth to the stock price. This decrease is mostly driven by firms most exposed to pressures to maximize short-term stock price. Our results suggest that the decrease in the sensitivity of CEO compensation to the stock price is an important channel boards use to internalize stakeholder orientation.     

Can information and communication overload influence smartphone app users' social network exhaustion,privacy invasion and discontinuance intention? A cognition-affect-conation approach

Thanks to the expansion of network technologies and the coupling of smartphone hardware, younger generations have unparalleled access to a diverse range of information and interactive communication opportunities. Despite voluminous research on the causes of social network exhaustion and privacy invasion, limited academic attention has been devoted to understanding the driving forces and contributing factors for discontinuing usage of smartphone app. Drawing on the cognition-affect-conation paradigm, the present research proposes a conceptual research model to examine how information overload and communication overload effect social network exhaustion, privacy invasion, and ultimately, smartphone app users' intentions to discontinue usage. The study evaluates data from 442 smartphone app users, employing statistical analyses to demonstrate that both information overload and communication overload significantly impact users' exhaustion and privacy invasion. Additionally, social network exhaustion and privacy invasion are two major predictors of smartphone app discontinuance intention. By identifying the influential factors and causes of younger generations' discontinuous usage intention of smartphone app, this study meets the need for a thorough assessment of the social network exhaustion and privacy invasion phenomena. The findings may potentially enhance comprehension of the discontinuation intention phenomenon in the context of cognitive overload. Furthermore, they may provide novel insights for practitioners regarding effective strategies conducive to managing mobile social network adoption behavior, as well as the preservation of engagement levels among young users in mobile-saturated societies.     

Conditional Mandates on Management Earnings Forecasts: The Impact on the Cost of Debt

Exploiting a unique conditional disclosure mandate on management earnings forecasts (MEFs) in China, we examine the differential effects of voluntary and mandatory MEFs on the cost of debt. We find that firms providing voluntary MEFs have lower cost of debt than do mandatory forecasters and nonforecasters. The results of the channel analyses reveal that voluntary forecasters have greater commitment to voluntary MEFs in future periods than do mandatory forecasters and nonforecasters, and the precision, accuracy, and timeliness of MEFs are higher for voluntary forecasters than for mandatory forecasters. Additional analyses show that the differential effects of voluntary and mandatory MEFs on cost of debt are stronger for voluntary forecasters operating in opaque information environments, issuing high-quality and confirming forecasts, controlled by private shareholders, and operating in highly competitive product markets. Overall, our results indicate that, compared with mandatory MEFs, voluntary MEFs are more informative for credit investors, particularly for firms facing greater information risk and operating uncertainty.     

Digital marketing communication in global marketplaces: A review of extant research,future directions,and potential approaches

Digital marketing communication, that is, communication through digital or electronic media among businesses and consumers, is growing rapidly, especially during the COVID-19 era. We propose a framework for analyzing digital marketing communication along four major dyads, business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), consumer-to-consumer (C2C), and consumer-to-business (C2B). We review and summarize, for researchers and practitioners, the literature during 2000–2021 in these dyads along four major components: goals; channels, media, and platforms; content; and responses. We find that extant research in digital marketing communication pertains mostly to a specific, national level rather than a global level, despite the porousness of national boundaries for digital marketing. We derive important insights, identify key research gaps and questions in each of the dyads along these dimensions. We suggest approaches to address these research questions under three major components: substantive issues, data, and methods. These approaches can offer the insights that managers need to better formulate digital marketing strategies in local and global contexts.     

Factors influencing buying behavior of Lebanese consumers towards fashion brands during economic crisis: A qualitative study

The purpose of this article is to contribute to an understanding of the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on fashion buying behavior. It uses a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with 29 Lebanese consumers. The study reveals that consumer fashion purchases are motivated by emotional, social, and functional drivers. It also indicates that subjective norms, such as societal and cultural values dictate buying behaviors. The findings provide further insights into social media and highlight its influence on shaping trends and making fashion products desirable. The article concludes that Lebanese consumers exhibit impulsive buying behavior, and explains how fashion brands can remain relevant amidst a wrenching economic crisis.