Site Selection Using Hybrid Analytical Hierarchy Processing: Evidence from Taiwanese Electronics Assembly Firms in China

An upswing in labor costs and currency appreciation during the 1980s caused Asian countries and economic entities such as Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan to search for new manufacturing sites to obtain lower manufacturing costs. China, with its huge, rapidly growing market, was one of the main options for these Asian economic dynamos. How to find an appropriate method to evaluate an optimum place for a factory setup in China is essential to an enterprise. Analytical hierarchy processing (AHP) is a method to solve complex multicriteria decision problems. However, to make decisions based only on AHP results is not sufficiently reliable, especially when the results are too close to be precisely determined. To strengthen AHP analysis, we propose a “hybrid AHP” method. This method computes an error band (EB) of final AHP scores using its 95% Confidence Interval to estimate AHP score error and calculates EB combined with a “bootstrap” to mitigate expert pectoral bias. Based on our methods, our decision rule is “maximized AHP score and minimized EB.” To verify our methods, we took Taiwanese electronic assembly manufacturers selecting manufacturing sites in China as a case study. Our research found that Eastern China has a relatively higher consensus of preference for establishing their manufacturing sites.     

Virtual organizations: Computer conferencing and organizational design

Computer conferencing systems link groups of users who “meet”; in the virtual space of a computer and interact around a common purpose or topic. These electronically constituted and mediated groups can mirror, cross‐cut, or hive off from existing organizational structures. This article reports a study of organizational structuring processes that accompany the introduction of a computer conferencing system in six industrial organizations. The relationships among technological capabilities and constraints, existing organization structures, managerial intent, and the unanticipated consequences of implementation for structural change are discussed. Employing the same software system in each case, organizational outcomes are radically different.

Earlier analysts have focused on a contingency model of the organization‐to‐technology relationship. Computer conferencing systems, however, confound the distinction between technical and organizational systems; they exist in an overlapping border domain between their two parent systems. This article explores the character of this overlapping domain and proposes the terms “virtual group”; and “virtual organization”; to evoke the special status of groups created through computer conferencing. Virtual organizations are semiotic entities in Weick's [1] sense of equivoque and their essentially ambiguous, interpretable character is important in shaping organizational outcomes. Virtual groups become part of the ongoing process of structuration [2], while also providing a new tool for organizational design.     

Computer networking among executives: A case study

Group Support Systems may be “distributed”; for nonsimultaneous use by being embedded in a Computer‐Mediated Communication System (CMCS). In this manner, large groups may use them for complex tasks over an extended period of time. Will executives use such systems, and what are their reactions? This case study of elites engaged in formulating recommendations for the White House Conference on Productivity demonstrates that executives can use such systems, given that “critical success factors”; are met. Perceived information richness is strongly correlated with perceptions of productivity enhancement as a result of system use.     

数字经济驱动制造业转型升级的作用机理——基于产业链视角的分析

数字经济与实体经济的深度融合成为促进实体经济振兴与产业转型升级的新动能,其动力主要源于数字新技术作用下的产业链组织分工边界拓展、交易成本降低、价值分配转移、需求变化倒逼四个方面。随着数字化信息成为产业链上的“标准化”流通媒介,制造业产业链会发生解构与重构并逐步实现全面数字化转型。产业链上“消费商”与工业互联网两种新型主导力量的出现促使服务型制造、网络化协同制造等新型制造模式创新涌现,智能制造将成为主流制造模式的新兴代表。为了更好地发挥数字经济对制造业转型升级驱动作用,应加强制造业数字基础设施建设,强化产业链数据集成与共享,发挥核心企业转型引领作用,注重智能制造生态系统构建等。     

Consumer Brand Hate: Steam rolling whatever I see

This study aims to investigate negative consumer‐brand relationships by developing a “Brand Hate” concept. A hierarchical Brand Hate model is theoretically discussed in light of the psychology and consumer behavior literatures. In Study‐I the Brand Hate concept was tested with two different types of consumer brand haters, true haters, and regular haters. The study found that in the study's proposed multidimensional Brand Hate hierarchy true haters display “Boiling Brand Hate” while regular haters reveal “Seething Brand Hate.” Two additional studies were developed to examine the relationship between consumer personality traits and Brand Hate, exploring which types of consumers are more prone to feel hatred toward targeted brands. Study‐II's findings revealed a relationship between consumers who are high in personality traits of “conscientiousness” and those who Brand Hate. Study‐III's findings indicated that “self‐confident” and “competitive” consumers might also be more prone to feel hatred toward those brands that perform poorly and unethically.     

A‐pool: An agent‐oriented open system shell for distributed decision process modeling

An agent‐oriented open system shell, A‐Pool, for distributed decision process modeling in the Internet domain is presented. Unlike most decision support systems, A‐Pool provides a testbed for modeling and understanding the cognitive aspects of distributed decision processes themselves rather than for domain‐specific problem solving. This is achieved with a pool of virtual agents and a pool of cognitive maps of the agents at each A‐Pool node. The virtual agent scheme extends object‐oriented programming to the Internet domain and supports different communication and collaboration protocols with virtual communities, virtual sessions, and virtual conferences. The cognitive map scheme supports perspective sharing and various conflict integration and resolution strategies through cognitive map composition, derivation, and focus generation. Thus each A‐Pool node provides an architecture for modeling interdependencies and for ensuring global coherence; in addition, the communication is asynchronous and the control is distributed, allowing a large degree of autonomy and the examination of various thoughts and social protocols involved in strategic planning in an open system environment. Basic ideas are illustrated with a running example.     

Global production sharing: Exploring Australia's competitive edge

Cross‐border dispersion of production processes within vertically integrated global industries (“global production sharing”) has been an increasingly important structural feature of economic globalisation in the recent decades. This paper examines patterns and determinants of global production sharing with an emphasis on how Australian manufacturing fits into global production networks (GPNs). Though Australia is a minor player in GPNs, there is evidence that Australian manufacturing has a distinct competitive edge in specialised, skill‐intensive tasks in several industries such as aircraft, medical devices, machine tools, measuring and scientific equipment and photographic equipment. Specialisation in high‐value‐to‐weight components and final goods within GPNs, which are suitable for air transport, helps Australian manufacturing to overcome the “tyranny of distance” in world trade. Being predominantly “relationship specific,” Australian GPN exports are not significantly susceptible to real exchange rate appreciation.     

Why Do We Read On‐Pack Nutrition Information so Differently? A Typology of Reading Heuristics Based on Food Consumption Goals

While prior research has extensively studied nutrition labeling use and consumer errors of judgment in the nutrition evaluation process, less attention has been paid to the consumer motivations that simplify the reading of on‐pack nutrition information. To address this gap, this study examines how food consumption goals affect consumer reading of this information. On the basis of a qualitative study, eight food consumption goals have been identified and classified into four types of motivations which impact reading behaviors: “Food Optimization,” “Food Regulation,” “Food Gratification,” and “Food as Mere Necessity.” From this typology, we derive eight on‐pack nutrition information reading heuristics as well as specific inference biases resulting from these simplifying reading strategies. This research also provides guidelines for policymakers so that nutritional messages given to consumers will be more targeted in order to promote better reading of on‐pack nutrition information at the point of sales.     

Doing Business in India

On its independence in 1947, India was among the two most industrialized nations in Asia. Since then it adopted a “mixed economy” approach that hindered its national growth and the optimum utilization of its immense resources (both natural and human). To re‐establish itself as an economic force in the region, India liberalized its economy in early 1990s. The adoption of the “free market economy” model has created great opportunities for foreign businesses. This article provides useful information on the complex business environment, aimed to help foreign businessmen and investors to develop a good understanding on key background knowledge for being successful in India. It reviews Indian historical development, political structure and climate, international relations, and economy and foreign trade. India's infrastructure, legal framework, socio‐cultural set‐up, competitive environment, as well as market structure and potential are also analyzed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Consumer recycling goals and their effect on decisions to recycle: A means-end chain analysis

Means-end chain theory and the laddering methodology were used to derive the goals relevant to consumers for recycling, as well as the interrelations among goals. The importance of the goals and their hierarchical structure were also tested, and their effects on attitudes, subjective norms, and past behavior determined. Data were collected on 133 consumers in a moderate-size metropolitan community by use of a random digit dialing procedure. The overall framework emerging from the analyses is one where concrete goals lead to more abstract goals, and attitudes and past behavior intervene between goals and intentions in decision making. Nineteen total goals were uncovered, with 15 ultimately found to be salient. The topmost goals in the hierarchy were “promote health/avoid sickness,” “achieve life-sustaining ends,” and “provide for future generations.” The key lower-order goals—“avoid filling up landfills,” “reduce waste,” “reuse materials,” and “save the environment”—work through such intermediary goals as “reduce messy trash,” “curtail pollution,” “save resources,” and “save the planet.” Two important terminal goals that were also at intermediate levels in the hierarchy were “save/earn money” and “it's the right thing to do.” © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The Hierarchy of Consumer Participation: Knowledge and Proficiency in Telecommunications Decision Making

This paper establishes a “hierarchy of consumer participation” that has striking parallels to the hierarchy of political involvement developed by Milbrath (1965, 1982). Analysis of consumer decision making required by the deregulation of telecommunications shows that independence of decision making, propensity to use sources of information, and propensity to influence others' decisions are highly interrelated. Four main types of consumers are identified: consumer influentials, active consumers, dependent consumers, and nondecision makers. The levels of consumer participation should be highly salient in defining targets and programs for consumer research, education, protection, and policymaking.     

On the Impacts of Overconfidence under Information Diversity*

This work examines the competition between two groups of overconfident agents when they are informed with different dimensional information. Their strategies could be complementary through a “liquidity improvement effect.” When agents informed in one‐dimension trade more aggressively due to overconfidence, the market liquidity could be improved and agents informed in the other dimension would also trade more aggressively and become better off. In addition, increasing one group's population and information precision could also benefit the other group, while these impacts are mitigated by the overestimation of one's own group population.     

Electricity awareness and consumer demand for information

With the envisioned growth in the residential electricity demand and increased share of intermittent renewables in the supply mix, consumers will need to be better informed about their electricity consumption and to play an active role in managing their electricity use. However, consumer inattention and lack of information are ubiquitous, especially in household energy‐related settings. Thus, using a novel survey and actual monthly electricity consumption data, this study set out to measure the level of awareness about electricity bills, prices and costs among some Finnish households—as captured by the answers to six questions—and to investigate whether higher levels of “electricity awareness” are associated with electricity savings. In addition, this study analyses the willingness to receive extra information about energy consumption and savings and how it differs between “electricity aware” and “electricity unaware” respondents. The results indicate low levels of “electricity awareness” among the respondents of the survey. Compared to the respondents with little knowledge about electricity bills, prices and costs, the respondents with higher levels of “electricity awareness” tend to consume less electricity. Higher levels of awareness about electricity use and consumption might “materialize” inconspicuous consumption patterns, as opposed to more general facts about the largely invisible environmental consequences of everyday practices. More than two‐thirds of the total number of respondents would like to receive additional information about energy consumption and how to save energy. However, there exists a significant portion of “electricity unaware” respondents who are not only unwilling to receive such information, but are also unaware of their own knowledge deficits. To maximize the impact of any information strategy, decision makers should attempt to engage with this type of consumer; by becoming more aware of their knowledge deficits, people might become more receptive to information that can benefit them.     

In Search of the “Meta‐Maven”: An Examination of Market Maven Behavior across Real‐Life,Web, and Virtual World Marketing Channels

Recently, a new set of channels for consumer and business interaction have emerged—three‐ dimensional “virtual” worlds. This study attempts to better understand the nature of market maven behavior (diffusers of general marketplace and shopping information) across three different channels—virtual worlds, the Web, and real‐life—and to examine the extent to which market maven behavior is transferable across channel context (i.e., “fluid”) or channel dependent. Using data from two surveys (one in the virtual world “Second Life” and a follow‐up Web survey for the same respondents), this paper explores differences and determinants of maven behavior. Employing partial least squares analysis, the findings indicate that market maven propensity is transferable across channels (i.e., high‐scoring market mavens retain this across channel). However, while there may be the transferability of market maven behavior across channels, the findings demonstrate that maven propensity is influenced by the channel context. Consequently, individuals with high maven propensity tend to exhibit channels in which this behavior is more prominent. Therefore, market maven behavior might not only span general product categories, but also the channel itself (i.e., maven behavior remains fairly constant—or fluid—across channel). The findings also point to possible characteristics that may be used in the identification of market mavens: market mavens typically have greater cognizance of other mavens, are technology‐savvy and individualistic, are of either gender and tend to be older and more intensive and experienced users of Web platforms and also intensive users of virtual worlds than those with low maven propensity. The findings of the study contribute to understanding market maven behavior, and provide an insight into the practices of mavens in a multichannel context, particularly in the case of the emerging channels that are virtual worlds.     

Industrial Specialization,Catching‐up and Labour Market Dynamics

This paper presents a dynamic model as a heuristic tool to discuss some issues of changing industrial specialization which arise in the context of catching‐up processes of (technologically) less advanced economies and the impact which various scenarios of such catching‐up processes might have on the labour market dynamics both in the advanced and in the catching‐up economies. In analysing the evolution of international specialization, we demonstrate the twin pressures exerted upon the industrial structures of “northern” economies: competition from “type‐A southern” economies, which maintain a comparative competitive strength in labour‐intensive and less skill‐intensive branches, and competition from “type‐B catching‐up” economies, whose catching‐up increasingly focuses upon branches in which the initial productivity gaps and hence the scope for catching‐up are the highest. The contrast between these two catching‐up scenarios allows the explicit analysis of the implications of “comparative advantage switchovers” between northern and southern (type B) economies for labour market dynamics.     

Frames and facilitators by China in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Much larger than the U.S. Marshall Plan, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with over $5 trillion global infrastructure projects, is a major undertaking by the international communities, proposed by the Chinese government. Adopting a multimethod approach of employing textual analysis, participant observation, and framing analysis, this article uncovers that Chinese government and state‐run media promote BRI with proper rhetorical frames and institutional facilitators. The six frames are “Development,” “Mutual respect and mutual trust,” “Ancient Silk Road Story,” “Action Speaks Louder than Words,” “China is a Partner, not a Colonialist,” and “Win‐Win.” Since 1949 and especially in the past two decades, China has cultivated a global ecosystem with at least nine facilitators that support BRI. These facilitators are Chinese Soft Power, South–South Cooperation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China & ASEAN FTA, RCEP, 16+1, AIIB, Silk Road Fund, and The New Development Bank. With BRI, China leads a new wave of globalization: Globalization 5.0. This article proposes a three‐step strategy for Western companies to benefit from the China‐led Belt and Road Initiative: from rising above pre‐existing frames in your mind (stereotypes), to be open minded for new frames (new thinking), to participate in BRI for win–win outcomes (opportunities).     

Virtual Bundling with Quantity Discounts: When Low Purchase Price Does Not Lead to Smart‐Shopper Feelings

Previous research has shown that promotional techniques influence both the smart‐shopper feeling and the consumption level at home through a direct mechanism (lower perceived cost) and an indirect consequence of promotions (larger supply). The development in France of virtual bundles with quantity discounts raises questions regarding a consumer's cognitive and affective appreciation of the deal, and therefore promotional efficiency. Four experiments on French consumers confirm the effect of price and supply on declared consumption, but only for “vice” products. In Experiment 2, virtual bundles with quantity discounts lead to the lowest perceived unit price and consequently to the highest level of consumption. Additionally, when compared with more traditional promotional techniques (e.g., physical bundles), virtual bundles with quantity discounts reduce the evaluation of a “good deal” and the smart‐shopper feeling (Experiments 3 and 4). To summarize, such promotional techniques, which might have seemed appealing at first (“buy more to save more”), are preferred less by consumers than more traditional promotional techniques. These preliminary results could be enriched by field studies that go beyond declared consumption and observe consumers evolving in their natural environment across time.     

中国将成为“世界工厂”

随着中国经济实力的增强 ,有越来越多的中国产品产量居世界第一 ,这些产品行销世界 ,中国正在成为“世界工厂”。但是 ,用严格的“世界工厂”标准来衡量 ,中国还有差距。在“中国制造”的背后还隐藏着许多弱点 ,尚不具备真正的实力。要成为真正的“世界工厂” ,中国还须努力。     

Constructing conceptual models for knowledge capture and delivery systems

Appropriate conceptualization of the nature of entities and relationships in a problem domain is a key prerequisite to the successful design of computerized decision aids for business, especially those developed for more than one idiosyncratic user. The need for a reliable conceptual model is particularly acute in the design of decision support systems that must function in problem‐solving situations with no existing theoretical framework or where theory and practice differ considerably.

This paper presents an interative procedure for developing a reliable conceptual model by testing the “fit”; of successive revisions of the model against a collection of “think‐aloud”; verbal problem‐solving protocols of people with experience in the domain. The model is revised each time until it is verifiably and consistently accurate. Such a procedure, it is argued, is more objective and reliable than intuition or traditional knowledge engineering and requires considerably less experimental data collection and analysis than more elaborate empirical model development procedures.

The feasibility of this procedure is illustrated by using it to construct a conceptual model for a computer‐based system that seeks to capture knowledge used during project planning and deliver it for use during project control.