Differences in the economic performance of hotel-based and residential tourist destinations measured by their retail activity. Evidence from Spain

This paper compares the economic performance of holiday and residential tourism destinations in Spain, as measured by the level of retail activity, from a quantitative perspective. Differences between destinations are explored. A positive association between the economic development of destinations and their retail index was expected. However, no significant differences were found between residential/second-home tourism and holiday/leisure tourism destinations. The results obtained contradict the conventional assumptions that holiday destinations perform better economically than residential ones due to a higher level of tourist spending of people accommodated in hotels.     

Carbon Disclosure,Contextual Factors,and Information Asymmetry: The Case of Physical Risk Reporting

Abstract

The paper focusses on the reporting of climate change-related physical risks. Drawing on data from the CDP questionnaire for 717 European companies over three years (2011–2013) we find that information asymmetry is generally smaller when firms report about their physical risks. Furthermore, we find that reporting of a higher exposure to physical risks is associated with lower information asymmetry for firms falling under the regulation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, whereas for other firms the direction of the relationship reverses. We can rule out that our results are driven by other climate change-related risk disclosures and by disclosures about opportunities arising from climate change. This study is not only relevant because it attests the materiality of climate change-related physical risks. Moreover, we show how a contextual factor – in this study: whether a company falls under climate change-related regulation – moderates the direction of the relationship between reported information and information asymmetry.     

Understanding Indian Online Clothing Shopper Loyalty and Disloyalty: The Impact of E-Lifestyles and Website Quality

Understanding loyalty and disloyalty in conjunction can ensure comprehensive understanding of loyalty which is important for sustained profitability of online retailers. This study examines the simultaneous impact of consumer-related (e-lifestyles) and technology-related (website quality) dimensions on loyalty and disloyalty of Indian online clothing shoppers. Two survey-based samples of data were collected from 217 (Sample 1) and 644 (Sample 2) experienced online shoppers. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis techniques were used to validate e-lifestyle (three dimensions) and website quality dimensions (four dimensions). Sample 2 was divided into loyal and disloyal groups (based on loyalty scores) which were subject to logistic regression. While both e-lifestyle and website quality dimensions are significant in discriminating between the loyal and disloyal groups, the effect of website quality dimensions is more pronounced with website visual-engagement having the highest positive impact on loyalty. The study draws on conclusions for marketers and suggestions for future research.     

Optimal income taxation in models with endogenous fertility

This paper studies the efficient taxation of factor income in infinite-lived models with elastic fertility choices. Two models are considered, one with physical capital only, and one with physical and human capital. In the model with physical capital only, capital income should be subsidized, while labor income taxed. In the model with two types of capital, instead, Ramsey optimality prescribes that the tax on physical capital is zero (negative), if effective labor is constant (decreasing) returns to scale in human capital and market goods, while the tax on human capital is negative and the tax on effective labor positive. Our findings depart from those obtained in immortal models with an endogenous labor supply and constant population growth, because physical and human capital affect the demand for fertility.     

Preventing shoplifting: Exploring online comments to propose a model

In recent years, the marketing literature has expended considerable effort to understand and theorize consumer misbehavior. However, scant research theoretically explores shoplifting. This is surprising, as currently, the annual cost of shoplifting is close to $50 billion in the United States. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we conduct two studies. Study 1 is a qualitative content analysis of online consumer discussions with regard to shoplifting. Study 2 is an empirical examination that uses a US national sample of n = 1,001 consumers; it is designed to test specific hypotheses regarding antecedents to consumers’ intentions to shoplift using an interdisciplinary theoretical framework from criminology, psychology, and marketing. The model integrates research from these different disciplines to improve our understanding of shoplifting by offering avenues to tackle it that supersede traditional security measures in retail. The integrated conceptual framework extends the theory of planned behavior and routine activity theory in understanding the behavioral intentions behind shoplifting. The results show that the suitability of shoplifting targets, offender motivation, and the absence of capable guardians affect potential offenders’ attitudes, subjective norms, and confidence in their ability to shoplift, which, in turn, all influence the intention to shoplift. The results contribute to our understanding of shoplifting and provide implications for retail practitioners over and above merely augmenting store security.     

Exploring retail orientated rotating savings and credit associations: festive season ‘stokvels’ in South Africa

ABSTRACT

Festive season rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) or ‘stokvels’ form a large segment of the market in the lower-income bracket and informal market sector in South Africa and have a high collective purchasing power. This study explores the multi-month, multi-phase process through which these stokvels’ evaluate and purchase bulk groceries from retailers at a substantial discount during the festive season. The study followed an exploratory research design through fifteen in-depth interviews of retailers, interviews that were thematically analysed. The findings revealed four phases in festive season stokvel’s buying process, namely: Need Development, Double-Evaluation Loop, List Consolidation, and Post-purchase Behavior. Each phase encapsulated a number of salient interdependent relationships and prominent time periods in which activities occurred over a year through the lens of the participating retailers. While the actual transaction happens in December, the process usually starts before April of that year. The process is modeled to show when certain phases of the process are completed as well as the actors involved (stokvel, retailer, manufacturer/supplier). To date, there has been no research that has examined the buying process of festive season stokvels through the perspective of the retailer. By creating the first map of this commercial and social process, this exploratory research paves the way for further research into the selling and buying processes in these widely used systems of group purchase.     

Consumer stockpiling behavior in the retail gasoline market

ABSTRACT

I examine consumer stockpiling behavior in the retail gasoline market and factors that affect consumer stockpiling. Past research such as Hendel and Nevo (2006b Hendel, I. , and A.Nevo . 2006b. “Sales and Consumer Inventory.” The Rand Journal of Economics 37 (3): 543–561. doi:10.1111/(ISSN)1756-2171.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) found evidence that implies stockpiling behavior. However, they did not observe actual inventory or consumption and have to rely on simplifying assumptions about these quantities. I collected a novel data set of gasoline purchase history of consumers with actual inventory and consumption to test several hypotheses that relate consumer stockpiling to price, duration between purchases, and consumption. I found that consumers purchase more gasoline when their inventory is low and those holding high inventory are more price sensitive. Consumption habits after a purchase may change due to two forces: previous consumption habit and purchase price. The exact change in consumption and duration between purchases depends on which force is stronger.     

二元技术能力、制度环境与创业绩效

社会技术能力是共享经济下企业适应动态环境的一种有效策略，具有挣脱自身资源束缚，赢得外部支撑力的作用。明确提出物理技术能力与社会技术能力是导致企业创业绩效差异的关键，并根据权变理论提出制度环境（正式制度约束与非正式制度约束）对二者关系的调节作用，进而通过层次回归进行实证检验。研究结果显示：①物理技术能力与社会技术能力均能促进创业绩效提升；②正式制度约束能够有效促进物理技术能力和社会技术能力对创业绩效的影响，非正式制度约束会减弱物理技术能力对创业绩效的影响，但会增强社会技术能力对创业绩效的影响。     

An examination of users and non-users of self-checkout counters

The use of self-checkout counters in the retail industry allows retailers to achieve higher rates of productivity and provide better customer service. However, its use has not been widespread due to consumers’ resistance to the technology. Previous research has established that demographic and psychographic variables and consumers’ evaluation of the technology may determine consumers’ use of self-checkout counters. The aim of this study is to compare how users and non-users of self-checkout counters differ in the retail industry in Singapore. The survey instrument was adapted from earlier studies and surveyed respondents’ perceptions of self-checkout counters on their relative advantages over staffed counters and the likelihood of using self-checkout counters in different situations. The survey was administered to residents and shoppers in a western residential suburb in Singapore over a period of three weeks. The findings from 778 respondents showed no significant demographic differences between users and non-users of self-checkout counters. Users are more likely to view self-checkout counters as more advantageous, less complex, more reliable and compatible with their lifestyles than non-users. In addition, users of self-checkout counters are more likely to use self-checkout counters when they expect a shorter checkout time at self-checkout counters compared to non-users.     

供应链条件下的零售业物流管理模式研究

经过改革开放三十多年的发展，我国零售业发展逐步扩大，越来越多的企业意识到物流管理为企业所带来的价值，但是我国现有的零售业的物流管理依旧存在诸多不足，尤其是在当前的供应链管理环境下，更加需要零售业充分树立现代物流管理理念，运用现代物流信息技术，从自身条件出发，建立适合自身特点的物流管理模式。