The implications of interstate banking for consumers

The purpose of this article is to discuss the implications of interstate banking for consumers. The article describes the current structure of the banking industry, the history of legislation affecting interstate banking, and the expected effects of interstate banking on bank operating costs, availability of local funds, and concentration and competition within local banking markets as well as the anticipated effects on consumers of banking services. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The antecedents of complaint behaviour for Brazilian and French consumers of services

Using a cross‐cultural approach, this study investigates customer satisfaction after a service failure and recovery experience, considering (i) the influence of perceived justice on satisfaction; (ii) the impact of satisfaction on consumer repurchasing and complaint intentions; (iii) the moderating role of the customer cultural orientation; and (iv) the relevance of contextual variables. Based on a survey of 298 consumers from Brazil and France, the results indicated that (i) distributive and interactional justice influenced satisfaction; (ii) satisfaction was a significant predictor of repurchase intentions; (iii) satisfaction influenced third‐party, private and voice responses; and (iv) the level of the customer relationship, the severity of the failure and the responsiveness of the firm were significant contextual variables. Moreover, the individual‐level analysis suggested that only power distance cultural orientation was a significant moderator.     

The duty to inform consumers under French law

One of the major aims of current public consumer policy is to increase the obligations of commercial concerns to provide consumers with information. In contract law, however, this development is only about to begin. In this paper, the situation in French contract law is described. On the basis of general principles of contract law, French courts in their decisions have developed different types of information duties. There are also some more detailed information requirements set down in specific laws and regulations, e.g., as regards the posting of prices. The author comments critically upon the way the legislation has been applied and proposes the introduction of further specific disclosure duties. The provision of information by means of voluntary agreements between consumer organizations and trade associations is another, quite promising solution.

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Informationspflichten im französischen Recht

Zusammenfassung Informationspflichten des Gewerbetreibenden gegenüber privaten Endverbrauchern gehören zum zentralen Anliegen moderner Verbraucherpolitik und werden zunehmend erweiter. Im Vertragsrecht steht diese Entwicklung erst am Anfang. Der Beitrag untersucht den Stand des französischen Rechts. Hier gibt es zwei unterschiedliche Rechtsquellen für Informationspflichten: einerseits die Rechtsprechung, andererseits die Gesetzgebung. Die Rechtsprechung hat verschiedene Arten und Stufen von Informationspflichten bei Abschluß, Inhalt und Durchführung eines Vertrages entwickelt. Allgemeine Rechtsfiguren des Zivilrechts werden hier — wenn auch nur zum Teil — den besonderen Bedingungen von Verbraucherverträgen angepaßt. Die moderne französische Gesetzgebung kennt Informationspflichten insbesondere hinsichtlich der Preisauszeichnung und für einige regulierte Vertragstypen, z. B. Versicherungsverträge, Fernunterrichtskurse und Haustürgeschäfte. Der Autor hält eine Erweiterung und verbesserte Durchsetzung der Informationspflichten im französischen Recht für unumgänglich. Die Zukunft gebührt freiwilligen Informationssystemen unter Mitwirkung der Verbraucher.

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Jean Calais-Auloy is Professor of Law at the University of Montpellier, rue de l'Université 3, F-34000 Montpellier, France, and Director of the Centre du Droit de la Consommation. This paper was first presented at the EEC/ERACA International Symposium on Consumer Information, Brussels, November 23–25, 1977. Notes to the report and references may be requested from the author.     

The arrival of the Euro and its implications for Asia

The third stage of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) commenced on January 1, 1999 with the launch of the European single currency, the euro. The first round of participants comprises 11 of the 15 European Union (EU) nations, dubbed “Euroland.” The potential implications of EMU for Asia are immense. The euro's emergence as an international currency and its impact on Asia can be assessed in 3 different domains: (1) as a medium of exchange for Europe's trade with Asia; (2) as a store of value in stocks and bonds in world capital markets; and (3) as part of official foreign exchange reserves of Asian central banks. Our analysis suggests that there is potential for the euro to play a bigger role in EU-Asia trade links, which will be underpinned by the collective importance of Euroland as a much-enlarged trading and investment partner for Asia. However, in the short term at least, Asian equity markets are unlikely to benefit from significant inflows of capital from the EU as the former have been decimated by the region's financial crisis. As for Asian bond markets, rapid deterioration of sovereign ratings of countries in the region over the past 12 months would make it difficult for Asian companies to raise funds through euro-denominated debt instruments. As for official foreign exchange reserves, the bulk of Asian reserves is currently held in US dollar assets. Judging from Asian trade and debt figures, it seems unlikely that the euro would challenge the US dollar as a reserve currency any time in the near future. Nevertheless, in the longer term, the euro's introduction could make it easier for Asian central banks to diversify their reserves from the greenback to the euro. The internationalization of the euro is likely to happen only gradually, whether in terms of international trade denomination and settlement, denominating international financial assets, or as a reserve currency. Since the magnitude of shock that the single European currency would bring to the international monetary system is still unknown, only very tentative conclusions for the impact on Asian countries can be drawn at this point in time.     

Objective and multidimensional acculturation measures: implications for retailing to Hispanic consumers

Recent growth of ethnically diverse US and international populations makes these groups especially attractive to retailers. Although acculturation research suggests that Hispanics differ from other ethnic groups, little research has been conducted on such potential differences within the Hispanic community. This study examined acculturation measures as predictors of differences among Hispanic consumers with respect to shopping orientations, attitudes toward retailer attributes, and information source preferences. Compared to objective measures, multidimensional measures more effectively predicted culturally-related phenomenon; whereas, neither measure discerned disparities in global attitudes. Implications for retailers’ use of tailored versus mass market strategies related to Hispanic consumers are discussed.     

Reform of the Japanese food distribution system: Implications for consumers

Economic and social change in Japan together with foreign pressure, has forced the Japanese government to alter government regulations affecting product distribution in Japan. The most important of these regulations is the Large-Scale Retail Store Law. Changes to this regulation, combined with other developments in the Japanese economy and society, have pressured established retailers, particularly the department stores and mom and pop shops. More supermarkets have been built and discount stores are becoming a force in the retail industry. This paper will discuss these developments and outline possible implications for Japanese consumers.

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Die Reform des japanischen Verteilungssystems für Nahrungsmittel: Implikationen für die Verbraucher

Zusammenfassung Wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Wandel in Japan in Verbindung mit ausländischem Druck haben die japanische Regierung gezwungen, Maßnahmen zur Regulierung der Produktverteilung und des Einzelhandels zu ändern. Änderungen der einschlägigen Gesetzgebung und andere Entwicklungen in der japanischen Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft haben den angestammten Einzelhandel stark in Bedrängnis gebracht, insbesondere die Warenhäuser und die Tante Emma-Läden, von denen es in Japan traditionell viele gibt. Stattdessen sind mehr Supermarktketten und Discountläden entstanden, die sich eine starke Stellung im Einzelhandel erarbeitet haben. Der Beitrag diskutiert diese Entwicklungen und skizziert ihre Bedeutung für die japanischen Konsumenten.

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Paul Riethmuller is Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Qld 4072, Australia.Funding for this paper has been provided by the Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation.     

城市电网10kV配电系统继电保护分析探讨

文章介绍了城市电网10kV配电系统在电力系统中的重要位置及城市电网10kV配电系统继电保护的基本类型,着重介绍了几种目前国内常用的电流保护:反时限过电流保护、定时限过电流保护,并分析了各类保护装置的基本构成、保护范围、动作原理、配合方法、优缺点,给出了详细的整定计算过程.     

How national culture impacts teenage shopping behavior: Comparing French and American consumers

The global teen market has significant spending power and an important impact on the world economy. However, much remains unknown about the social motivations of teenage consumers and cross-national cultural differences in teenage shopping. This research studies teenage shopping motivations in two nations: the U.S., which is a highly individualistic national culture with low power distance and low uncertainty avoidance, and France, which is perhaps a somewhat more collectivist, more inter-dependent national culture with high power distance and high uncertainty avoidance. This research samples 570 teenage consumers. Susceptibility to peer influence (SPI) drives teenage consumer shopping in France, while both need for uniqueness (NFU) and SPI motivate teenage shopping in the U.S.     

Banking deregulation and its effects on Australian consumers — The policy debate

After close to a decade of the rapid deregulation of Australian banking, for the first time, the policy debate centres on deregulation's effects on the consumer. The Parliamentary Inquiry into the Australian Banking Industry chaired by Stephen Martin, which reported in November 1991, agreed with consumer groups that deregulation has not delivered all the envisaged benefits to ordinary Australians. It recognised that market forces alone were not sufficient to ensure that bank services were delivered equitably. However, it rejected consumer recommendations for a statutory banking code and regulatory controls to ensure banks met their social obligations.Though the Martin Committee Report is valuable in that for the first time the consumer experience of deregulation was detailed, the Report suffered by not seeing consumer protection as the major policy question. It suggested remedies without focusing on implementation. Moreover, issues of the future, such as the safety of superannuation savings, were not resolved, and the security of electronic networks was not considered.

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Zusammenfassung Die Regulierung des Bankenwesens und ihre Auswirkungen auf australische Konsumenten. Nach einer fast zehnjährigen Phase einer schnellen Deregulierung des australischen Bankensystems richtet sich die öffentliche Debatte erstmalig auf die Auswirkungen auf den Konsumenten. Der Bericht über die parlamentarische Untersuchung des australischen Bankenwesens unter dem Vorsitz von Stephen Martin erschien im November 1991; er stimmt mit den Verbrauchergruppen darin überein, da\ die Deregulierung nicht zu den beabsichtigten positiven Effekten für australische Konsumenten geführt hat. Vielmehr wurde festgestellt, da\ die Marktkräfte allern nicht gewährleisten können, da\ Bankdienstleistungen angemessen zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Dennoch wandte sich der Bericht gegen die Empfehlung kodifizierter Verhaltensrichtlinien für Banken und gegen Kontrollma\nahmen zur Gewährleistung, da\ Banken ihren sozialen Verpflichtungen genügen.Wenn der Untersuchungsbericht auch insofern wertvoll ist, als er zum ersten Mal die kontreten Konsumentenerfahrungen der Deregulierung im Detail erfa\t, so fehlt ihm doch der Blick dafür welchen Stellenwert der Verbraucherschutz als politische Frage hat. Er schlägt zwar Ma\nahmen vor, beschäftigt sich aber nicht mit ihrer Durchsetzbarkeit. Hinzu kommt, da\ wichtige Themen der Zukunft wie z. B. die Sicherheit der Rücklagen für die Alterssicherung oder die Sicherheit elektronischer Netzwerke völlig au\er Acht gelassen wurden.

     

Mobile marketing: A literature review on its value for consumers and retailers

The article describes the existing knowledge of how mobile marketing can increase the value for consumers and retailers. Mobile device shopping, and consumers' use of mobile devices while shopping is shown to be both an extension of consumers' shopping behaviours developed on Internet-connected desktop and laptop computers (PC), and potentially new behaviours based on a mobile devices' uniquely integrated features such as camera, scanners and GPS. The article focuses on how mobile marketing creates value for consumers and retailers, enabling more precise research and development of managerial concepts and tools while providing both managers and academics with increased understanding of mobile marketing and its value outcomes for retailers.     

我国外汇储备存在的问题及其对经济的影响

人民币汇率之争与欧债危机又一次引发了社会各界对我国外汇储备的关注。我国外汇储备在规模、结构和来源方面存在着许多问题,给国民经济带来了不利的影响。本文从我国外汇储备的发展历史进程出发,分析当前我国外汇储备存在的问题,并探讨其对我国国民经济的影响。     

When consumers love their brands: Exploring the concept and its dimensions

Consumers may develop feelings of love toward some brands, but the meaning and underlying dimensions of this construct require further development. Through an exploratory Internet study of 843 respondents in France, this research used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the concept of love. Eleven dimensions emerge through a correspondence analysis and the concomitant use of a multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis of the wording that respondents use to describe their feeling of love and the special type of relationships they have with the brands they love. These dimensions identified in France compare to dimensions of love found in previous research conducted in the United States.     

中国经济增长与就业之间的关系分析及政策启示

经济增长与就业率之间的关系,一直是学者们争论的焦点.本文根据协整理论,对我国经济增长与就业关系进行了实证分析,得出了它们之间的长期非一致性的关系,最后提出相关政策建议.     

中国经济增长与就业之间的关系分析及政策启示

经济增长与就业率之间的关系,一直是学者们争论的焦点.本文根据协整理论,对我国经济增长与就业关系进行了实证分析,得出了它们之间的长期非一致性的关系,最后提出相关政策建议.     

Drivers of eWOM engagement on social media for luxury consumers: Analysis,implications, and future research directions

The rapid industrialization and growth across the world have fostered the consumption of luxury fashion brands. Electronic word-of- mouth on social media (eWOM) is fast becoming an effective and germane strategy to engage luxury consumers through posting pictures, sharing reviews, and communicating information on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Extant research has not examined the antecedents and drivers that lead to eWOM behavior. We leverage self-congruity theory and through its focal lens, our study addresses this research gap through a survey conducted with 453 consumers in Mexico, Latin America's fastest growing market. Our results indicate that need for status, susceptibility to normative influence, and luxury brand involvement, moderated by authentic pride and social media influencers lead to eWOM behavior on social media. We also demonstrate that luxury brand involvement and susceptibility to normative influence mediate the relationship between need for status and eWOM behavior on social media. The study provides important implications to managers and researchers by suggesting long-term actionable strategies for growth that can help luxury firms develop a sustainable competitive advantage over rivals and competitors.     

Business services,the new engine of French regional growth

This article analyses the evolution of employment in the French regions, putting the accent on business service firms. A ‘shift and share’ type of analysis shows that a primary decentralisation in tertiary activities seems to emerge in the 1990s, essentially pertaining to ancillary producer services. An explanatory analysis backs up the general validity of the regional economic base theory: the basic activities, to which business services can quite legitimately be attached, certainly play a leading long-term role on global employment dynamics. Finally it shows that over the past 20 years, the regional offer of services to businesses has been the major discriminating variable between regions, greatly influencing the evolution of basic employment and thus confirming the vital driving force of this sector in regional dynamics.     

Time price differentials in the rent‐to‐own industry: implications for empowering vulnerable consumers

Rent‐to‐own enterprises represent a lucrative and rapidly growing industry. They are of particular concern to social service agencies, policy makers and consumers because they target a vulnerable, economically disadvantaged segment of the population. This article presents an investigation of a major player in the industry in one US state that fell under scrutiny by the courts because of a question of whether it is a retail enterprise covered by truth in lending legislation. Findings indicate that the average time price differentials charged by the largest retailer in this state exceed by more than three times the regulated 30% cap on interest rates. Rent‐to‐own is an example where regulation must be put into place so consumers can make more informed decisions. Such regulation, however, must be accompanied by financial literacy education that will further empower vulnerable consumers in the marketplace.     

The political motivations of ethical consumers

Consumer‐driven labelling schemes such as Fairtrade and the Forest Stewardship Council, are based upon several assumptions of consumer decision making and behaviour. This study aimed to test the validity of some of these assumptions, including the belief that consumers are acting ‘on behalf’ of workers and communities in economically developing countries by supporting fair and ethical trade. It examines the political motivations underlying ethical consumption, such as its relationship to other forms of political activism, reasons behind high purchase frequency and how existing values interact with consumption choices. Drawing upon the results of a series of six focus groups with 58 participants and a nationally representative panel‐based survey of 1014 Australian consumers, this paper argues that many of the factors involved in consumer decision making are inconsistent with the assumptions made by private economic governance schemes in attempting to harness consumer power, calling into question the effectiveness and legitimacy of such schemes. However, by tailoring the marketing strategies to different types of consumers, along with suppliers and retailers, these schemes can potentially increase their effectiveness.