Fashion and the metaverse: Clarifying the domain and establishing a research agenda

In recent years, the metaverse has garnered significant attention as a term referring to a network of 3D virtual worlds that integrate elements of both physical and digital worlds. Fashion brands have begun exploring the metaverse as a new marketing platform, which is expected to bring about substantial changes in the fashion and retail industry. However, a lack of consensus on the nature of the metaverse and its impact on the fashion industry currently exists, and limited academic research is available on the metaverse's influence on fashion brands' marketing strategies and brand experiences. To address this gap, this study employs a thematic analysis approach on trade journals and industry articles that cover fashion brands' metaverse strategies. Through this analysis, the study provides a typology of current marketing strategies of fashion brands in the metaverse. Based on these empirical findings, this research proposes a theoretical framework that explains how different metaverse strategies affect different dimensions of brand equity. Finally, this study offers research directions for fashion brands' metaverse strategies by presenting an integrated framework that synthesizes the key insights from our research findings.     

How Do Entry Motives and Institutions Influence the Acquisition Strategies of Multinationals in Foreign Markets? Lessons from Acquisitions of Finnish Multinationals in Global Markets

When acquiring foreign targets, multinationals have an option for partial acquisition, staged acquisition, and full acquisition. This study seeks to understand how the motives of market entry and institutions influence these acquisition strategies in foreign markets. By integrating OLI paradigm and institutional theory with an empirical case study of seven acquisitions of Finnish multinationals in global markets, the study finds that the motives of market entry (i.e., market-seeking, efficiency-seeking, strategic-asset-seeking motives) interact with host country institutions in influencing the choice of partial, staged, and full acquisitions. The study also develops six propositions and recommends areas for future research.     

Applying the counseling-learning approach to a tourism-related massive open online course

ABSTRACT

This study discusses how to apply counseling-learning (CL) principles to a particular e-learning solution for teaching a tourism-related subject via a massive open online course (MOOC). Several effective caring patterns in achieving learning-related goals and being part of a community according to the CL principles are presented and discussed using the MOOC “eTourism: Communication Perspectives” as a case study. The study underlines how the MOOC platform can act as a place for contents enjoinment and active learning. Moreover, the active role of social media for increasing the engagement of learners in the proposed activities and for developing a sense of the community is identified. In particular, Facebook and Twitter can act as places for community building and informal social interactions among learners that last beyond the completion of the course, which in turn can be a valid aid for continuing the relationships among instructors/learners and learners/learners, and for reaching new ones.     

Telling and selling the value of diversity and inclusion—External consultants' discursive strategies and practices

On the basis of a qualitative study of a subgroup of diversity professionals, external diversity and inclusion (D&I) consultants, we explore D&I consultants' discursive strategies and practices situated within organisational structures, relations, and interactions of power and knowledge. Theoretically, the research reveals how D&I consultants' own discursive strategies interact with existing organisational and societal discourses of diversity, incrementally shaping their continual evolution. A classification is developed, which sets out four approaches taken by consultants with regard to their discursive strategies in relation to clients. The findings suggest that HR practitioners need to work in tandem with external consultants to develop strategies to improve the status and legitimacy of diversity work if the field is to progress the organisational D&I agenda.     

High frequency momentum trading with cryptocurrencies

Over the past few years, cryptocurrencies have increasingly been discussed as alternatives to traditional fiat currencies. These digital currencies have garnered significant interest from investment banks and portfolio managers as a potential option to diversify the financial risk from investing in other assets. This interest has also extended to the general public who have seen cryptocurrencies as a way of making a quick profit. This paper provides a first insight into the applicability of high frequency momentum trading strategies for cryptocurrencies. We implemented two variations of a signal-based momentum trading strategy: (i) a time series method; (ii) a cross sectional method. These strategies were tested on a selection of seven of the largest cryptocurrencies ranked by market capitalization. The results show that there exists potential for the momentum strategy to be used successfully for cryptocurrency trading in a high frequency setting. A comparison with a passive portfolio strategy is proposed, which shows abnormal returns when compared with the momentum strategies. Furthermore, the robustness of our results are checked through the application of the momentum strategies other sample periods. We also compare the performances of the signal-based momentum strategies with returns-based versions of the strategies. It is shown that the signal-based strategy outperforms the returns-based strategy. However, there appears to be no single parameterization of the signal-based strategies that can generate the greatest cumulative return over all sample periods.     

A classroom experiment in monetary policy

The authors propose a classroom experiment implementing a simple version of a New Keynesian model suitable for courses in intermediate macroeconomics and money and banking. Students play as either the central bank or members of the private sector. The central banker sets interest rates to meet twin objectives for inflation and the output gap or to meet only an inflation target. In both settings, private sector agents are concerned with correctly forecasting the inflation rate. The authors show that an experiment implementing this setup is feasible and yields results that enhance understanding of the New Keynesian model of monetary policy. They propose alternative versions where the central bank is replaced by a policy rule and provide suggestions for discussing the experimental results with students.     

Motives behind retailers’ post-entry expansion - Evidence from the Chinese luxury fashion market

This study aims to examine the motives behind retailers’ post-entry expansion in foreign markets. Through case studies of eleven participating luxury fashion retailers in China, qualitative data was collected from twenty-two executive interviews. Although their initial market entry was driven by both reactive (push) and proactive (pull) factors, the motives behind their post-entry expansion have become predominantly proactive, especially long-term growth strategies, the ambition to extend their brands and retail formats to more cities, and the experiences gained in entry markets. The desire to optimize the retail store portfolio through multiple channel strategies have slowed down the expansions of physical stores.     

陕北黄陵县农户生计资本评价及其生计策略研究

[目的]选取受退耕还林、封山禁牧等生态政策影响较大的陕北农户为研究对象,分析农户生计资本与生计策略之间的作用关系。[方法]基于可持续生计分析框架,采用Logistic回归模型,对17个行政村335户样本农户数据进行分析。[结果](1)研究区农户的人力资本整体得分最高,社会资本居次,物质资本中等偏下,自然资本和金融资本处于低水平;(2)农户生计分化明显,典型的纯农户很少,农户生计策略主要为兼农型和低水平非农型;(3)回归分析表明,人力资本指数高的农户倾向于外地兼农,物质资本和社会资本指数高的农户倾向于当地兼农,家庭年收入、人均教育投入和人情往来3项指标是促进农户向非农型生计策略转变的关键因子。[结论]农户生计策略的选择和转变是建立在自身资本结构上的,其往往向着发挥生计资本优势、规避生计资本短板的方向调整生计策略,进而达到提高整体生计资本水平的目的。人力资本优势主导下的黄陵县,加之沟壑区农地资源空间配置的破碎性与复杂性,外地兼农型生计策略将仍是该地区农户近期内的主要生计抉择。     

国有企业如何做好投资项目财务风险管理

作为国有企业经营管理的重要组成部分,财务风险管理对于投资项目经济效益的保障具有积极作用。论文在阐述国有企业投资项目财务风险管理必要性的基础上,就现阶段财务风险管理的问题展开分析,并指出国有企业投资项目财务风险管理的策略。期望能进一步提升财务风险管理质量,确保投资项目资金运行的安全性,进而促进国有企业的进一步发展。     

Internal green integration and environmental performance: The predictive power of proactive environmental strategy,greening the supplier,and environmental collaboration with the supplier

The effect of proactive environmental strategies (PES) on corporate performance has been debated extensively among academics; however, the significance of the pathway of those strategies—internal green integration (IGI) through greening the supplier (GTS) and environmental collaboration with suppliers (ECS)—remains undecided. This study examines environmental performance (EP) through GTS, IGI, and ECS. It also examines the direct link between PES and IGI. A conceptual framework was designed following a rigorous review of the literature. A survey questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional data from a random sample of manufacturing firms, obtaining 196 usable samples. Using AMOS, the structural equal modeling found a positive and significant impact of PES on IGI. Significant predictors of EP were GTS, IGI, and ECS. The findings of the study can provide managers with guidelines for dealing with business and environmental concerns. They can also contribute to creating strategies for environmental protection and management and reducing adverse effects on the environment. Finally, by examining the direct links between GTS, ECS, and EP, particularly in a developing context, the study may contribute to the literature of environmental policy.