Whom to dismiss? CEO celebrity and management dismissal

Based on the power dynamics in strategic leadership ranks, this study examines whether chief executive officer (CEO) celebrity serves as a source of CEO power and empirically investigates its role in management dismissal. In the spirit of scapegoating theory, this study proposes that CEO celebrity weakens the likelihood of CEO dismissal but strengthens the likelihood of executive dismissal in the face of poor firm performance. This study goes further to explore the previously unexamined question of “whom to dismiss” and argues that less powerful non-board executives as opposed to board executives are more likely to be handy scapegoats of power dynamics. The data from Korean public firms in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis largely support such a scapegoating hypothesis.     

What affects the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement? Impact of interplay among congruence,identification, and attribution

This study draws upon congruence theory, identification theory, and attribution theory as a means of examining how celebrity endorsement works. The study proposes that the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement may be influenced by the following three factors: congruence between a celebrity endorser and endorsed brand/product, identification with a celebrity endorser, and consumers’ attribution styles (i.e., internal vs. external). To test the proposed hypotheses, the study employs a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subject factorial design. A total of 317 college students participated in the study in return for course credits. The study findings suggest that congruence, identification, and consumers’ attribution styles indeed have impacts on consumers’ attitude toward ad, brand, or purchase intention. The study also finds that there is a relationship between congruence (low vs. high congruence) and attribution styles (internal vs. external). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Celebrity endorsement: How celebrity–brand–user personality congruence affects brand attitude and purchase intention

The present study provides and tests a conceptual framework aimed at comparing the relative effectiveness of celebrity–user, brand–celebrity, and user–brand personality congruence on brand attitude and brand purchase intention (BPI) thereafter. The data collection was done via an online survey of a representative group of consumers (n = 431) located across India. Hypotheses were tested using regression analysis with mediation approach. The results indicate that while user–brand and brand–celebrity personality congruence have a significant impact on brand attitude and purchase intention, celebrity–user congruence does not. Further, brand attitude is found to be a partial mediator on the relationship between the pair-wise personality congruence on BPI. The findings have major implications for marketers in understanding the significance of personality congruence among celebrity–brand–user in the formation of brand attitude and purchase intention that can be used in positioning and in increasing the advertising effectiveness of brands using celebrity endorsement. The present study is a pioneer in contributing to the celebrity endorsement literature by investigating the relative impact of three pairs of personality congruence: celebrity–brand, brand–user, and celebrity–user, on brand attitude and BPI, thereby supporting the applicability of McCracken's Meaning Transfer Model [McCracken (1989), The Journal of Consumer Research, 16 (3) 310–321) and the Hierarchy-of-effects model (Lavidge and Steiner (1961), Journal of Marketing, 25 (6) 59–62].     

Consumers’ online responses to the death of a celebrity

Humans have long been fascinated with celebrated persons. Because celebrities are usually protected, fans rely on celebrity-related products to connect to a beloved individual. As symbolic embodiments of celebrities, these related products often become cherished personal possessions. The death of a celebrity appears to strongly elevate a celebrity’s stature and increase the value of the celebrity’s products. This research examined marketplace effects of celebrity deaths using longitudinal data obtained from online auctions. Results indicated that a celebrity's death strongly boosts demand for surviving memorabilia. Marketers were also found to act with incredible speed in offering products to meet this heightened demand. These findings suggest that the effect of death on memorabilia sales varied by product type and death context.     

China and Africa, Fiendship, Pace,Cooperation and Dvelopment

The Forum of China-Africa Cooperation（FOCAC）.was held in Nowember, as well as the The 2nd Sino-African Entrepreneurs Conference ,marking the milestone of the China-Africa relations which have experienced the test of several thousand years,     

, Resource and Environment, Wuha

ing shutter, sound insulation wall, sound insulation door and sound absorption ceilings were adopted to reduce noise from WILSON diesel generator set. The sound level can meet the criteria after taking these measures.diesel generator set; noise; noise abateme     

Multi-functional,Combined,and Light Interchange

It is a very special interchange proposal,with great economic and social benefits,and different from the current interchange design,the new type interchange will be completed without influencing traffic.During this proposal,the interchange will be built up on unilateral road rather than on crossing road,and disperse vehicles via two-end interchanging.As the design will be completed in the factory,and only assembling taken on the road, the flexible and light interchange takes no room, lays no obstacles in processing,and fully separates motors from non-motorized ones. Moreover,this type of interchange helps to realize multi practical functions,including parking lot,urban navigation system,real-time traffic monitoring and management,as well as air pollution control     

Pioneering, Innovating,and Pursuing Preeminence

Over the last decade, Zhang Shaojie has viewed the quality of teaching as paramount to all of the university's functions. He has made great efforts to emphasize teaching. The university set a course to centralize its teaching systems and organized the Teaching Inspection and Steering Committee, the Teaching Evaluation Construction and Consultation Committee, and the Higher Education Academy. It also created an effective management hierarchy, and never sacrificed its reasonable yet scientific, harmonious yet powerful approach.     

Clustering,MNEs, and Innovation: Who Benefits and How?

Abstract

This paper explores three under-researched questions in the literature on multinational enterprises (MNEs), clustering, and innovation. First, to what extent does multinationality lead to higher rates of innovation activity and performance? Second, what, if any, is the link between MNE cluster location and innovation inputs and outputs? Third, are there any significant differences between enterprises belonging to domestic and overseas MNEs in these regards? Evidence is based primarily on 11,775 firms derived from the UK Community Innovation Survey 2007. Diversity in the regional economy exerts the most consistent positive influence, followed by the scale of employment in the enterprise’s own industry. Enterprises belonging to domestic MNEs appear to exert higher levels of innovation effort. However, evidence regarding their superiority in innovation outputs was weaker. Contrary to Michael Porter’s work, it appears that enterprises belonging to overseas firms benefit more than domestic firms.     

Chinalco and Rio Tinto, the Second Handshake, Actual and Powerful？

On February 12, a meaningful scene occurred in London： Xiao Yaqing, the General Manager of Chinalco, and Paul Skinner, the Chairman of Rio Tinto took a handshake at the agreement ceremony, which symbolizes the second cooperation between Rio Tinto and Chinalco, after Chinalco＇s first investing in Rio Tinto with US$14 billion last year.     

Lotus seeds, jujubes, and kelp knots

Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutesFeatures: healthy foods, sweet, softIngredients:fresh kelp knots150gdry lotus seeds without core50gdry jujubes without core10 piecesbrine1 spoon (15 ml)rice wine(15 ml)crystal sugar(15 ml)sesame oil(15 ml)Recipe:1. soak kelp knots into vinegar water for 20 minutes and wash2. clean dry jujube, and sock into lukewarm water for 20 minutes3. boil dry lotus seeds for 15 minutes and drip to dry4. boil kelp knots, jujubes a…     

China National Import and Export Corporationof Native Produce, Animal Products,Dried Food, Fruits, Vegetables and Honey

TheChinaNationalImportandExportCorporationofNativeProduce,AnimalProducts,DriedFood,Fruits,VegetablesandHoney,asubsidiaryoftheChinaNationalNativeProduceandAnimalProuctsImportandExportCorporation.isaState-ownedforeigntradecorporation.handlingchieflytheexportofhoney.Eachyearitexports5,000tonsofhoneyofdifferentkindssuchasChinesescholarflowers,Chinesemilkvetch,whitehoney,amberandbucketwheat.leadingallotherexportdomesticcompanies.Thecorporationhasprofessionalswithrichknowledgeofinternation…     

International Regulation on Health,Safety, and the Environment – Trends and Challenges

The international regulation of health, safety, and the environment has come far. Spurred by the United States, the United Nations established in the 1980's a tight net of rules that define minimum standards for the production and marketing of hazardous goods. The rules are for the most part non-binding. The successful conclusion of the GATT Uruguay Round now makes it imperative to balance the rules of international product safety law against the liberties demanded by international free trade. This challenge offers new perspectives for the development of international product safety law.     

Personality,person–brand fit,and brand community: An investigation of individuals,brands, and brand communities

Abstract

Brand communities have received considerable and warranted attention from marketing researchers and practitioners. Brand communities can be important sources of information for both the firm and other customers, and they play an important role in building and maintaining strong brands. Nevertheless, the antecedents of brand community identification, such as individual differences across consumers in the propensity to connect with brand communities, are not as well understood. We hypothesise that the enduring personality traits extraversion and agreeableness predict identification with the [brand] community, which in turn, and along with product attachment, will be related to brand trust and brand loyalty. Product attachment itself is hypothesised to be a function of person–brand congruity, the perceived fit between the person and the brand. Those relationships are tested and supported in data from a sample of 662 car enthusiasts attending a large brand community meeting or ‘brandfest’.     

Marketing capabilities, stakeholders’ satisfaction, and performance

This study shows that the relationship between marketing capabilities and firm financial performance can be better understood when it is drawn using stakeholder satisfaction as an additional variable, in the context of the service industry. Results from 152 Spanish service organizations indicate that superior marketing capabilities lead to higher levels of stakeholder satisfaction, which consequently improves financial firm performance. Results complement previous research which found a strong relationship between marketing capabilities and performance when the latter includes financial and nonfinancial indicators. Marketing capabilities improve not only customer satisfaction but also employee fulfillment which, in turn, may increase financial indicators.     

Lianyungang,Nantong and Kunshan Economic and Technological Development Areas

Lianyungang Economic and Techno-logical Development Area Approved by the State Council,the Lianyungang Economic and Techno-logical Development Area was founded in1984, located in the east of the city of Li-anyungang, covering an area of 30 sq Kmand 22 km away from Xinpu area, and fivekm from the port of Lianyungang. Well developed air, land and sea traf-fic services provide ideal conditions for in-vestment in the place. Along its railways itcan reach every part of the country. Its inland     

Dream,Harmony and New Vision

Exciting news for those automobile fans! Auto China 2008 or the 10th Bei- jing International Automotive Exhibition heated the whole Beijing city this spring.During April 22-28,in the newly-built New China International Ex- hibition Center,this big auto feast opened its curtain in Shunyi,the suburbs of Beijing.In this hot week,Auto China 2008 welcomed over 680 thousand audience from home and abroad.     

Third-Party Certification,Sponsorship, and Consumers’ Ecolabel Use

While prior ecolabel research suggests that consumers’ trust of ecolabel sponsors is associated with their purchase of ecolabeled products, we know little about how third-party certification might relate to consumer purchases when trust varies. Drawing on cognitive theory and a stratified random sample of more than 1200 consumers, we assess how third-party certification relates to consumers’ use of ecolabels across different program sponsors. We find that consumers’ trust of government and environmental NGOs to provide credible environmental information encourages consumers’ use of ecolabels sponsored by these entities, and consumers do not differentiate between certified versus uncertified ecolabels in the presence of trust. By contrast, consumers’ distrust of private business to provide credible environmental information discourages their use of business association-sponsored ecolabels. However, these ecolabels may be able to overcome consumer distrust if their sponsors certify the ecolabels using third-party auditors. These findings are important to sponsors who wish develop ecolabels that are more credible to consumers, and thus encourage more widespread ecolabel use.