Corruption and Companies: The Use of Facilitating Payments

Making use of facilitating payments is a very widespread form of corruption. These consist of small payments or gifts made to a person – generally a public official or an employee of a private company – to obtain a favour, such as expediting an administrative process; obtaining a permit, licence or service; or avoiding an abuse of power. Unlike the worst forms of corruption, facilitating payments do not usually involve an outright injustice on the part of the payer as they are entitled to what they request. This may be why public opinion tends to condone such payments; often they are assumed to be unavoidable and are excused on the grounds of low wages and lack of professionalism among public officials and disorganisation in government offices. Many companies that take the fight against “grand” corruption very seriously are inclined to overlook these “petty” transgressions, which are seen as the grease that makes the wheels of the bureaucratic machine turn more smoothly. Despite this, facilitating payments have a pernicious effect on the working of public and private administrations: all too often they are the slippery slope to more serious forms of corruption; they impose additional costs on companies and citizens; and in the long run they sap the ethical foundations of organisations. Although many articles on corruption mention facilitating payments, there have been no systematic studies from a company’s point of view. This article thus focuses on facilitating payments from the point of view of the company that makes the payment, either as the active partner (when it is the company that takes the initiative) or as the passive partner (when the official or employee is the instigator).     

跨国公司贸易对国际收支的影响

与国际收支概念产生时期的世界贸易环境相比较,目前的世界贸易环境已经发生了天翻地覆的变化,跨国公司贸易对“经济体”国际收支产生着重要影响,这种影响不仅体现在国际收支项目上,而且使按原产地规则统计的国际收支的意义发生了很大变异。     

阶段性消费下遗赠对中国居民消费水平的影响研究

中国居民消费水平走低问题一直备受人们的关注,但已有研究至少存在两方面不足:一是仅关注宏观经济变量,对微观个体的行为因素考虑得不充分;二是鲜有涉及社会人际间存在着大量遗产和赠予的问题。通过同时考虑遗赠和居民消费习惯问题,并结合心理账户理论,用数学建模推论得出:在阶段性消费行为模式下,社会遗赠总量的变化、社会中遗赠接受者和支出者人数的相对变化,以及两类人普通收入的相对变化,都会引起居民平均消费倾向的变化。     

收入再分配的消费效应:理论及中国例证

调整收入分配和扩大消费需求是当前的两大热点话题。基于后凯恩斯主义消费理论实证检验改革开放以来二元经济结构下收入再分配影响消费的作用机制。研究结果表明,尽管在全国层面上居民收入差距的扩大显著地制约着居民消费需求,但在其内部结构上城镇居民收入分配差距对其消费需求有着较强的负面影响,城乡收入差距对居民消费的影响次之,农村居民收入分配差距对其消费需求的影响并不显著。根据实证结果提出收入再分配调整的相应政策建议。     

The Effect of Windfall Gains on the Sunk-Cost Effect

Prior research has extensively documented the sunk-cost effect – an irrational attention to irrecoverable past costs while making pending investment or consumption decisions. In a series of experiments, we show that the sunk-cost effect weakens and sometimes disappears when consumers receive a windfall (unexpected) income at the time of making a decision. This unbudgeted income allows consumers to write off their past losses, thereby eliminating the pressure to consume in order to satisfactorily close the account. We further show that the similarity between the nature of the windfall income and the past sunk-cost moderates this relationship. More generally, we argue that mental accounts can be flexible and consumers may have discretion in moving money between different mental accounts.     

Advertising Spending and Quality for Services: The Role of Capacity

In this paper we explore the relations among advertising spending, capacity and quality for services. Data from a sample of New York City restaurants show that mid-quality restaurants spend more on advertising than either high quality or low quality ones, contradicting the usual Nelson-type prediction that advertising spending increases with quality. Also, controlling for quality, restaurants with larger capacities advertise more. We present a model of services to explain these observations. The key features of the model are: (1) capacity constraints, (2) uncertain demand, (3) the presence of both informed and uninformed consumers, and (4) a technological link between capacity and quality. We argue that for services, advertising not only informs consumers, but it also can improve capacity utilization. Given this dual role, advertising is more valuable to firms with larger capacities and higher price-cost margins. The variation of these two elements with quality determines the advertising-quality relation.     

The Effects of Humor on Ad Processing: Mediating Role of Brand Familiarity

The effect of humorous advertisement on memory and attitude has been an important topic among advertising scholars. However, scholars have used fake brands to test the effects of humor. Since the possibility for consumers to be exposed to the commercial for a completely new brand is very low, using a fake brand to test humor effects is not realistic. Hence, this study examined the role of brand familiarity on the effects of humor on memory and attitude by using existing brands in a laboratory experiment. This study suggests a different structural model for familiar and unfamiliar brands based on the previous studies in consumer behavior. Results revealed different effects of humorous advertisements for the familiar or unfamiliar brands. The structural model proposed for this study revealed a mediating role of brand familiarity on humor effects. Humorous ads worked better for the unfamiliar brands. For the familiar brands, the effects were mediated by the subjects’ brand familiarity and prior brand attitude.     

Probability and Mode of Acquisition Effects on Choices Between Hedonic and Utilitarian Options

We examine the effects of probability and mode of acquisition on choices between hedonic and utilitarian alternatives. The results suggest that the lower the probability of receiving the selected item, the more likely individuals will be to choose the more hedonic alternative in a choice set. Mode of acquisition (i.e., whether subjects are choosing in a windfall or a standard purchase situation) is also found to affect preferences, even when probability of acquisition is held constant. Hedonic options appear to be more popular as prizes than as purchases, whereas utilitarian options appear to be more popular as purchases than as prizes.     

能源价格波动对粮食生产成本的动态影响研究

能源价格波动会对中国粮食生产成本造成冲击,而且不同类型能源价格波动的动态冲击效果存在差异。运用向量自回归模型和脉冲响应函数研究发现,煤炭价格对粮食生产成本的影响十分显著,石油价格对粮食生产成本具有潜在影响。农户会调整生产要素投入以应对能源价格对粮食生产成本的冲击,但由此也给粮食生产带来负面影响。因此,应推广科学的粮食生产方式,减少对能源的依赖,并完善能源价格挂钩型农资的调控政策以及优化农资补贴方式。     

社会资本促进小农户与现代农业有机衔接之作用——基于资源获取能力中介效应的检验

本文构建了社会资本理论"强化、社会信用、信息、影响"四要素逻辑框架,基于2017年江苏、山东两省535户农民专业合作社社员的调查数据和中介效应模型,对社会资本是否以及如何通过资源获取能力影响小农户与现代农业有机衔接进行实证分析。结果表明:(1)基于强化、社会信用、信息属性,社会资本可以实现小农户与现代农业有机衔接,资源获取能力在其中发挥了完全中介效应,非正式社会资本对提高小农户资源获取能力的作用强于正式社会资本。(2)考虑成员异质性情况下,在有机衔接过程中,正式社会资本对核心社员的作用大于普通社员,非正式社会资本对普通社员的作用大于核心社员。(3)基于影响属性,非正式社会资本可以部分克服"精英俘获"导致的普通社员去组织化问题。上述结论为如何通过社会资本提高小农户的组织化程度,并在此基础上设计、完善相关政策,使农民专业合作社成为实现小农户与现代农业有机衔接的理想载体提供了新的思路和经验证据。     

The effect of service failure types and service recovery on customer satisfaction: a mental accounting perspective

Service failure recoveries play an important role in the service process. Previous research on service recovery has focused on the development of classification schemes, such as service failure types (e.g. outcome- or process-related failure), service recovery attributes (e.g. psychological or tangible recovery), and failure magnitude. Few studies in the literature have developed a theory-driven model of customer satisfaction that considers whether different types of service failure warrant different types of service recovery. This article, which reports the results of two studies, draws on mental accounting theory to examine the effect of the relationship between service failure and service recovery on customer satisfaction. The results of Study 1 show that customer satisfaction is greater when service recovery efforts truly make up for what customers have lost and that prior experience of service failure has a significant influence on the effectiveness of those efforts. The results of Study 2 indicate that the magnitude of a service failure also has an impact on the effectiveness of service recovery efforts.     

The influence of TV viewing on consumers' body images and related consumption behavior

Based on cultivation theory, self-concept theories, and gender research, this study investigates the influence of TV viewing on female and male consumers' perceived body images and related consumption behavior. The results show that TV viewing biases social perceptions of body images; however, TV viewing does not impact men's consumption behavior. For women, in contrast, TV viewing increases the real–ideal self discrepancy, which, in turn, leads to consumption behavior in order to achieve ideal bodies. For both groups, TV viewing increases body dissatisfaction; also, general beliefs about body images influence related behavior. The results provide some interesting contributions to theory and practice.     

The Role of Business Ethics in Merger and Acquisition Success: An Empirical Study

The purpose of this paper is to explore job performance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) from an ethical perceptive. A great number of studies have extensively discussed the link between M&A and performance; however, most focused on the financial functions and strategy selections. Although ethical issues emerge in the M&A process, it is a less studied area. This study adopted the structural equation modeling approach to empirically test our hypotheses. Based on 264 samples from financial companies, data analyses indicated that ethical conduct in M&A is significantly correlated with employee job performance. Ensuring employment security and caring practices can significantly explain organizational commitment. Organizational commitment also plays a significant mediating role between a company’s ethical conduct and employee job performance. Managerial implications are also provided.Carol Yeh-Yun Lin is a Professor of the Department of Business Administration at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. She received her Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992. She has published previously in the Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Psychology, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, Industrial Relations Journal, International Journal of Human Resource Management, and a number of other scholarly journals. Yu-Chen Wei is a doctoral candidate of the Department of Business Administration at National Chengchi University. Her research interests include intellectual capital, high-performance work system and business ethics.     

To Justify or Not to Justify: The Role of Anticipated Regret on Consumers’ Decisions to Upgrade Technological Innovations

Prior research suggests that adoption decisions are primarily based on product features and experiential opportunities, like trial and observation. Our research follows inquiries that identify anticipated regret (AR) as an emotion integral to consumer decision making. Prior research and current retailing practice assume that AR can be alleviated by compelling product attribute-based rationales for immediate purchase. These rationales often take the form of direct attribute comparisons between the current best and the future technologies. Counter-intuitively, we find that giving consumers attribute-based justifications for immediate purchase produces a uniform level of AR and purchase delay regardless of the perceived rate of innovation (PRI). However, under conditions of low PRI and no justification, AR decreases significantly. A clear implication of our findings is that firms marketing current technology should not rush to provide consumers with justifications for immediate upgrade since such communications will remind consumers of what they might miss if they adopt now, resulting in increased AR and purchase delays. Instead, we suggest that retailers focus promotional efforts on highlighting the hedonic benefits consumers experience by adopting today.     

The Relative Effects of Relationship Quality and Exchange Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses two key questions on how supplier firms can better manage industrial buyers to create higher loyalty. The first involves whether to focus on relationship quality or exchange satisfaction. This dual route model towards enhancing loyalty in essence is concerned with comparing the relative strengths of the effect from relationship quality to loyalty and from exchange satisfaction to loyalty. The second point of interest pertains to whether the effects from relationship quality and exchange satisfaction to loyalty are moderated by environmental conditions such as switching barriers and viable alternatives. Using data on business customers' ratings of a major information technology provider, we find that the effect of exchange satisfaction on loyalty is significantly greater than the effect of relationship quality on loyalty. We also find that the impact of exchange satisfaction on loyalty is less sensitive and more stable across different levels of switching barriers and viable alternatives. Conversely, the effect of relationship quality on loyalty is more pronounced to such moderating variables in that the effect of relationship quality on loyalty was greater when switching barriers were low and many viable alternatives existed. Implications for marketing theory and practice are discussed.     

金融市场发展对中国FDI技术溢出效应的影响及其门槛效应检验

金融发展水平对提高技术吸收能力至关重要,并对FDI技术溢出效应的实现产生重要影响。利用中国1983—2007年的时间序列数据,从金融发展水平与FDI技术溢出效应间的线性和非线性关联假设出发,研究金融发展水平对FDI技术溢出效应的影响。研究结果发现:FDI确实对中国的技术进步有明显的积极作用,并存在显著的技术溢出效应,而FDI技术溢出存在显著的金融发展"门槛效应"。     

The Challenge of Promoting a Cohesive Institutional Identity: An Investigation of the Impact of External Audiences,Task Specialization,and the Overall Organization

ABSTRACT

Financial giving behavior of individuals to charities is analyzed, using demographic, personality and behavioral variables for explanation. Both the probability of a donation and the amount of the donation are analyzed, using data of 500 Dutch households. Donors give because they appreciate the good work of the organization, because it gives them a good feeling, or because they feel personally involved. Empathy with the final receivers influences the decision to give, but not the amount that is donated. When donations become a part of the donor's “mental accounting” system, the average amount given is greater than for ad hoc donations.     

The Effects of Firm Size and Industry on Corporate Giving

Recent downward trends in corporate giving have renewed interest in the factors that shape corporate philanthropy. This paper examines the relationships between charitable contributions, firm size and industry. Improvements over previous studies include an IRS data base that covers a much broader range of firm sizes and industries as compared to previous studies and estimation using an instrumental variable technique that explicitly addresses potential simultaneity between charitable contributions and profitability. Important findings provide evidence of a cubic relationship between charitable giving and firm size and evidence of strong industry effects. The plus-minus-plus regression coefficient sign pattern for the cubic firm size model suggests that small and large firms give more relative to total receipts with lower giving ratios among medium size firms. One interpretation for this finding is that small firms are close to the communities they serve while high visibility creates a need for large firm philanthropy. Strong industry effects provide evidence of inter-industry differences in giving culture and/or different public relations requirements across industries. Christie H. Amato (Ph.D., University of Alabama) is professor of marketing at the Belk College of Business Administration, University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Dr. Amato's research interests lie in the area of strategic marketing, productivity, quality of life and ethics. She has published articles in top marketing journals including: Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Advertising and Journal of Business Research. Louis H. Amato (Ph.D., University of South Carolina) is professor of economics at the Belk College of Business Administration, University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Dr.␣Amato's research interests lie in the areas of market structure and profitability, productivity, quality of life and ethics. He has published articles in top journals including Southern Economic Journal, Review of Industrial Organization, and Quarterly Journal of Business and Economics.     

我国出口退税政策的贸易与经济效应研究——基于局部均衡模型的分析

通过将出口退税政策变量纳入局部均衡COMPAS模型,从产业层面上分析出口退税政策如何影响进出口行业的产出、贸易、收益等经济指标,并利用中国纺织服装品对美国出口贸易的有关数据,实证模拟中国出口退税政策变化对中美两国纺织业的生产、贸易和收入的影响。结果表明:平均而言,出口退税率每提高1个百分点,中国纺织品出口美国的价格将大约下降0.93%,而中国纺织品对美国出口量将增加2.86%左右,全行业收入大约增加1.83%;而美国纺织行业的产出减少1.9%,全行业收入减少2.2%。     

The Effects of Guilt-Appeal Intensity on Persuasive and Emotional Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Sponsor Motive

Studies examining the persuasive effects of guilt appeals have yielded mixed results. The current study hypothesizes that source motive (profit versus not for profit) is a key moderating variable underlying these inconsistences. A controlled experiment tested the moderating role of sponsor motive on the relationship between guilt-appeal intensity and persuasiveness of the appeal and ad liking. Findings confirmed the notion that sponsor motive moderates the effects of guilt appeals: When guilt appeals are commercially oriented there is a relative failure of high-intensity guilt appeals compared to moderate-intensity guilt appeals. Moderate-intensity guilt appeals cause more-positive brand attitudes than high-intensity appeals. Yet, when guilt appeals are nonprofit, increases in intensity of guilt communicated lead to positive results. As the guilt-intensity increased, ad liking and persuasiveness increased. It appears that guilt-appeal intensity did not have an effect on brand attitudes when the message was nonprofit.