Why buy new when one can share? Exploring collaborative consumption motivations for consumer goods

The notion of collaborative consumption or sharing economy—where consumers share access to ownership of properties such as cars, clothes and accommodations—has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. Development of communication technologies and peer‐to‐peer communities has enabled consumers to coordinate sharing activities through various online platforms. Collaborative consumption involves sharing of both intangible (e.g., music, space and car rides) and tangible assets (e.g., household items, clothes and furniture). Activities such as renting, swapping, trading and purchasing/selling used consumer goods are included in the latter. Despite increasing academic attention on collaborative consumption, little research has been pursued in the context of consumer goods. The nature of consumption for tangible goods can be entirely different from that of intangible goods because people can exercise greater control over tangible goods, which results in greater psychological ownership than that for intangible goods. To address this gap, the objective of this study is to develop a scale that examines consumer motivations for collaborative consumption of consumer goods. Following Churchill's paradigm of scale development, the procedures of scale item generation, purification and validation were conducted via in‐depth interviews, literature review and surveys. The study identified five underlying dimensions of collaborative consumption of consumer goods: concern‐for‐sustainability, social, variety‐seeking, fun and cost‐saving. Study findings and implications are discussed, and future research avenues are suggested.     

Super‐Connectors: A New Model of Internationalization from the MENA Region

The main purpose of this case‐based research is to investigate and analyze three fast‐growing airlines (Emirates/Dubai, Qatar Airways/Qatar, and Etihad Airways/Abu Dhabi) and their internationalization from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The three carriers that are commonly known as “super‐connectors” in the airline industry continue to excel in their business models and internationalization. Based on secondary data, surveys, and company‐specific information, the article uses a longitudinal case‐based research approach to discuss the three airlines. Findings of the work reveal that the three super‐connectors have aggressively expanded in the MENA region and beyond by seeking multiple alliances, joint ventures, long‐term collaborative agreements (code sharing), and foreign direct investment (FDI). These activities represent innovative business models and operational efficiencies in the global airline industry. We believe that non‐MENA airlines may not have the same dynamism, strategic clout, corporate‐related efficiencies, and financial prowess that we witness among the three super‐connectors. In international business (IB) and multinational corporation (MNC)‐related areas, researchers, industry analysts, and policymakers need to pay attention to the MENA region's super‐connectors and their emerging internationalization models. The article also provides useful trends and implications that can be benchmarked by practitioners, researchers, and airlines regarding the issues of internationalization, growth, and new business models. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Factors Affecting Global Inventory Prepositioning Locations in Humanitarian Operations—A Delphi Study

This article investigates the factors that are important to humanitarian organizations when determining locations for inventory prepositioning in preparation for emergencies—a critical decision faced by humanitarian managers. Current research in the sector is rich with mathematical models that focus on this decision, although these models have a limited scope in terms of decision factors. Through a Delphi study our article investigates, identifies, and orders a comprehensive set of factors that decision makers in the humanitarian sector take into consideration when determining where to preposition inventory on the global level. Through this process, 10 main factors are identified, with the top five factors being required: speed of emergency response, the availability and quality of infrastructure, the availability and quality of business support services, the cost of operating the facility, and the availability and quality of labor. We also include suggestions for facility location research based on the outcomes of our study.     

The sharing economy: Your business model's friend or foe?

The sharing economy, a rising pattern in consumption behavior that is based on accessing and reusing products to utilize idle capacity, presents both tremendous possibilities and significant threats for emerging as well as incumbent businesses. As of today, it is unclear whether this economy is merely another ephemeral trend in consumption or whether we are experiencing a real shift in how goods are accessed, distributed, and used. Furthermore, little is known about how existing business models are affected by the sharing economy. These two issues represent the central motivation for the development of this article. Consequently, an examination of why the sharing economy has the potential to produce a long-term transformation in consumption behavior is followed by a consideration of how this change might affect companies’ business models. Based on a renowned business model framework and a variety of current illustrative examples, we propose central questions managers must ask themselves in order to be prepared to respond to changes brought about by this new economic trend.     

RESPONDING TO DISRUPTIONS IN THE SUPPLY NETWORK‐FROM DORMANT TO ACTION

Managing risks in supply networks is a complex task; more so in those supply networks where the core competence lies in dealing with natural disasters, complex emergencies, and large‐scale attacks—namely those of humanitarian, and military organizations where the price of failure can be counted in terms of the loss of life rather than, simply, reduced profits. This conceptual article examines the capabilities of these supply networks to manage such disruptions, based on their resource configuration in a dormant preparation state. The article concludes by presenting how different types of supply networks can manage large‐scale disruptions.     

The role of training in reducing poverty: the case of the ultra‐poor in Bangladesh

Although microcredit is considered the main vehicle for increasing the income of the poor and alleviating poverty in Bangladesh, it is now well recognised that more than this is needed to reach the ultra poor in rural areas. Consequently, almost half of the Bangladesh population is in some way linked to non‐governmental organizations' development programmes, at the centre of which is poverty alleviation. The study reported here developed a comprehensive cross‐sectional intervention to examine whether the income of those who participated in the training programmes of non‐governmental organizations was related to that participation. The study was carried out in three leading organizations in three districts of Bangladesh using a quantitative associational research design. Three hundred responses were analysed using multiple regression analysis to elicit information from ultra poor clients who had received training. The results suggest that the post‐training income level of the trainees was negatively rather than positively related to the fact of their participation in training, the opposite of what human capital theory would lead us to expect.     

The Italian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Economia Aziendale</Emphasis> and Catholic Social Teaching: How to Apply the Common Good Principle at the Managerial Level

The ongoing global economic and financial crisis has exposed the risks of considering market and business organizations only as instruments for creating economic wealth while paying little heed to their role in ethics and values. Catholic Social Teaching (CST) could provide a useful contribution in rethinking the role of values in business organizations and markets because CST puts forward an anthropological view that involves thinking of the marketplace as a community of persons with the aim of participating in the Common Good (CG) of society. In the light of the CST tradition, and in particular Caritas in Veritate, this article investigates the thinking of some of the historical scholars of the Italian Economia Aziendale (EA), by focusing on the concept of azienda, in order to reinterpret in a more humanistic way the role of business organizations in society. By linking CST and EA, the dichotomy between for-profit and not-for-profit organizations and the stereotype of the so-called business amorality that has, for a long time, driven business managers can be transcended. The conclusions imply a forward-looking application of the ethical concepts embedded in the Italian science of EA.     

ICT,Innovation and Firm Performance: The Transition Economies Context

The aim of this article is to investigate the impact of information communication technologies (ICT) and innovation activities on firm performance using the Business Environment Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) firm-level data in the three rounds: 2002, 2005, and 2008. The novelty of this research is based on the idea of studying the usage of ICT and innovation activities on firm performance by using dynamic approach so that we can estimate the adjustments that arise from the impact of ICT and innovation activities. The rapid technological development and the growing use of information technology (IT) in business organizations have become the center of attention in past few years. A bulk of literature has been published on the use of IT in different industries, different types of business organizations, and in different areas of business management. On the other hand, the probability of the firm to undertake innovation activities has shown to enhance firm performance. This study implements various estimations on BEEPS observations to test whether the change in the usage of ICT and other innovation determinants have increase the probability of firms to undertake innovation activities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A situational analysis of consumer science skills used to improve incomes and create self‐employment in the Limpopo province,South Africa

A two‐phase study was conducted in the Mopani and Vhembe Districts of the Limpopo Province of South Africa to identify types of small‐scale businesses used by households to improve their income. The study sample was made up of 240 households from 16 villages and members from 16 organizations working with households in small‐scale, business‐related activities. Phase one of the study collected data on the types of small‐scale businesses carried out by households and organizations assisting them. Phase two developed training manuals and offered training to households. The findings revealed that self‐employment from sales of prepared and processed foods provided the main source of income for most households. Clothing and needlework and housing and art/craft were also used by families to generate income. Problems experienced included lack of technical/management skills, lack of marketing/business skills, inadequate operational funds, low profit margins, unavailability of raw materials and competition from big businesses. The findings highlighted the importance of consumer science‐related skills in poverty alleviation programmes targeting low‐resource households.     

The Influence of Trust on the Trilogy of Knowledge Creation,Sharing, and Transfer

This empirical article focuses on the phenomenon of trust and its influence on the trilogy of the following interrelated factors that are crucial to the success of international business cooperations and their economic results: knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, and knowledge transfer. Trust is expected and desired by many business partners, but it is also abused by others. The term trust, due to its intangible and invisible nature, is often ignored or superficially treated by companies. However, when trust does not exist between international cooperation partners or is not nurtured, negative relationships and financial implications occur. These lacunae could be explained due to the difficulty in quantifying as a financial asset. The article presents qualitative findings (from two empirical research studies): (1) the implications of trust development for knowledge transfer between Russian‐ and German‐speaking companies, and (2) the influence of trust on knowledge sharing in the completion of an Austrian construction project. The authors applied phenomenological interviewing and observations of critical incidents or significant occurrences, combined with comparative content analysis. The positive influence of trust on the aforementioned trilogy results in higher levels of the involved companies’ innovativeness, culminating in higher levels of competitive advantage and profitability. The empirical findings are presented to explain the influence of trust on knowledge creation, sharing, and transfer, which have a bearing on intercultural cooperations. One innovative finding relates to the differentiated perception of emotions and the implications that this entails. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Consumption smoothing,risk sharing and financial integration

Theories indicate that financial integration should allow economies to better share risk and thus improve consumption smoothing. We construct two widely used price‐based measures of financial integration (i.e., the standard correlation and the adjusted R‐squared) and test whether consumption volatility declines as international equity markets become more integrated. Pooled and panel estimates for three different groups of countries (i.e., G7, G20 and EU) provide no significant evidence of improved consumption smoothing as financial integration rises. This evidence is supported by a battery of robustness checks and holds over time. Taken together, our results suggest that convergence in international equity prices does not necessarily represent the channel through which risk‐sharing opportunities arise or consumption smoothing improves.     

Enabling inclusion through alternative discursive formations: the regional development of community development loan funds in the United Kingdom

This article explores the growth and geography of Community Development Loan Funds (CDLFs) in the UK. CDLFs usually operate locally to overcome financial exclusion by providing a mechanism that enables wider social inclusion in disadvantaged areas. The article uses two cases studies of CDLFs to show how these alternative financial institutions balance the tension between profitability versus social objectives. CDLFs are ‘alternative’ financial institutions as their business model is based on alternative discursive formations of profitability related to value. Combining these variables produces a complex uneven regional geography of access; complex as local CDLF availability may still imply that organizations experience financial exclusion.     

Immigrant business enterprises: A classification framework conceptualization and test

This article proposes the Immigrant Business Enterprises Classification Framework to organize immigrant‐owned businesses into categories associated with different levels of business integration into a host country's mainstream business community. The article applies the framework and reports the findings of structured face‐to‐face interviews with 199 Hispanic business enterprises (HBEs) in Indianapolis. The authors find Hispanic‐owned businesses hold different characteristics depending upon the integration category in which they are classified; the findings suggest that to support immigrant entrepreneurship, governments, business development organizations, and researchers should address category‐specific challenges, opportunities, and needs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Consumers' choice among peer‐to‐peer sharing platforms: The other side of the coin

Many peer‐to‐peer sharing platforms are transforming their business model from sharing for free to renting with or without in‐person interactions. How will these changes affect consumers’ participation in peer‐to‐peer sharing of personal items? The work studies consumers’ choice among three business models that vary on two dimensions: “free versus renting” and “with or without in‐person interactions.” The novelty is to consider that consumers’ choice can be driven by their perceptions of relationships among peers, which are shaped by the business models of sharing platforms. Perceptions of communal sharing (CS) relationships among peers are found to differ across business models and to predict consumers’ choice among the platforms above and beyond the economic and social benefits that consumers seek. Interestingly, perceptions of CS are not only found to explain the choice of a sharing for the free business model over the two others, but also the choice of renting with in‐person interactions over renting without in‐person interactions. For managers of peer‐to‐peer sharing platforms, this means that renting does not make sharing completely similar to traditional market exchanges as long as in‐person interactions are involved. For scholars, this calls for more work on the factors that bring about perceptions of CS.     

The Transformation of African Smallholders into Customer Value Creating Businesses: A Conceptual Framework

An increasing number of the 600 million African smallholders are becoming integrated into the supply chains of supermarkets, fast food chains, and exporters. This process gradually transforms the smallholders into profit-oriented businesses that can make important contributions to rural development and food security. This article brings this issue to the attention of the readership of the Journal of African Business. It connects distinct lines of literature on smallholders, business training, and customer value creation. More specifically, it argues that to equip smallholders with the understanding of how markets function and what customers value, trainings that address fundamental marketing concepts are required. The arguments are captured in a conceptual framework explaining the livelihood performance of rural African smallholders. Based on these arguments, the article formulates implications for development workers and suggests directions for African business research.     

Bracing for MNC competition through innovative HRM practices: The way ahead for Indian firms

With increasing globalization, firms are entering a dynamic world of international business that is marked by liberalization of economic policies in a large number of emerging economies like India. To face the challenge of increasing competition that has resulted from liberalization, Indian organizations have initiated adoption of innovative human resource management practices both critically and constructively to foster creativity and innovation among employees. With the help of 11 in‐depth case studies, this article tries to understand how innovative HRM practices are being adopted by Indian firms to brace for competition in the postliberalization scenario. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Role and Value of Global Business Research: Perspective of a Business School Dean

The scope of this article is two-fold. First, it looks at business research in general, in various countries, as a task that the dean wants to have faculty members pursue, to attain goals such as accreditation and ranking with organizations such as the AACSB, Equis, the Financial Times, and US News & World Report. And second, it looks at international business research as part of what business schools produce and what a dean can encourage. As more academics realize the importance of international competition, and also of dealing with people from other cultures and countries, IB research is becoming more acceptable in mainstream publications as well as in specialized international business ones. Key questions discussed here include encouraging, measuring, promoting, and financing international business research.     

The conditions for successful knowledge transfer in development‐aid training programs

The shortage of qualified human capital is a major impediment to development. In the field of international development cooperation, training programs (TPs) have been widely employed to enhance the capacity of workforces in developing countries. This paper investigates the conditions in which these programs can contribute not only to individual human resource development but also to organization‐level reform and innovation in developing countries. The methods were regression analyses of training monitoring records as well as follow‐up e‐mail interviews with former participants of information and communication technology TPs sponsored by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. The research reveals that bilateral communication between training participants and the home organizations during the training plays a key role in increasing the probability of successful organization‐level transfer of individual‐level learning, irrespective of the original level of organization's absorptive capacity. The researchers examine the differences in transfer factors between the development aid context in their research and the paradigm case of the business organization found in much of the transfer literature.     

Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap in Business Marketing: Lessons from the Field—The JBBM at 21

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to first examine the distinctive role that Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing (JBBM) assumes in the marketing discipline, explore its heritage and notable accomplishments, and highlight the opportunities and challenges that specialized business journals confront across functional areas. Next, the authors explored the academic-practitioner divide and propose action steps that can be followed to craft corporate research partnerships to address business marketing problems.

Methodology/approach: The authors drew on research experience gained across more than a dozen empirical studies that have been used in a collaborative approach with a partner firm from the business-to-business sector to examine a core marketing problem.

Findings: High levels of engagement and support from the partner organization appear to be most likely to occur when members of the partnering firm were actively involved in framing the research question.

Research implications: A set of action steps is proposed as a vehicle for initiating and managing a corporate research partnership. By providing potential access to rare data, a collaborative approach may provide a path for attacking substantive research issues in business marketing.     

Gulf Arab E‐Business Environment: Localization Strategy Insights

The Gulf Arab region, particularly Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), took significant steps toward adopting e‐business and is poised to become a significant online marketplace. The region has a number of vital ingredients that could make it an e‐commerce powerhouse; however, e‐commerce has not reached its full potential. In this article, the authors explore the e‐business environment in the Gulf Arab region and shed light on some of the opportunities and challenges that are shaping and restricting e‐business infiltration. The article places greater emphasis on the idea of localization and how it may impact consumer behavior and expansion of e‐commerce. We argue that by increasing the focus on culturally customized online content by considering country‐level cultural, geopolitical, and linguistic factors, this region could be lucrative for companies looking to attract online consumers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.