Myths about memes

Memes are conceived of as the cultural equivalents to genes. As cultural change can be modelled using theories and concepts from population genetics, a “meme’s eye view” of cultural change is arguably valid. However, such views are frequently dismissed. Whatever the merits or demerits of memetics are as a science, no prominent objections to the meme concept appear well-grounded by either evidence or logic. This paper suggests that such criticisms arise from a few key misunderstandings and fallacies concerning memes and questionable assumptions about evolution, culture and psychology on which these misunderstandings are based. These misunderstandings are described in this paper using examples of criticisms which have been made about the meme concept. These are then scrutinized using basic principles of evolutionary biology, economics, and psychology. It is hoped that future attempts to apply the meme concept are encouraged by addressing these issues here.     

The impact of fairness on trustworthiness and trust in banking

Abstract

Theorists and empirical researchers in marketing and other fields suggest that fairness is important in underpinning trust, which, in turn, is integral to developing and maintaining buyer–seller relationships. However, empirical investigation of fairness in the domain of marketing has, to date, been limited. Consequently, the relationship between fairness and trust is not well understood. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide a fully developed social exchange model examining the differential effects of various dimensions of fairness on trustworthiness and customers’ trust. Data were collected from customers of banks and were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Findings of the study show that perceptions of fair treatment on the part of customers are important in driving trustworthiness and engendering trust.     

Trade Openness,Corruption and Factor Abundance: Evidence from a Dynamic Panel

Using the Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson–Vanek (HOSV) framework, this paper illustrates a relationship between corruption and the pattern of international trade that depends on the factor endowments of countries. The relationship between trade openness and corruption is empirically investigated by using a panel dataset on trade openness, corruption and capital–labor ratio, and applying estimation techniques developed for dynamic panels. The regression results provide strong support to the hypothesis that the effect of corruption on trade openness depends on relative factor abundance.     

More stringent BITs, less ambiguous effects on FDI? Not a bit!

We show that the effectiveness of bilateral investment treaties in promoting FDI inflows remains elusive even when accounting for the strength of investor-state dispute settlement provisions contained in various, though far from all, BITs.     

The influence of demand factors on dynamic competitive pricing strategy: An empirical study

This empirical paper investigates the relationship between the dynamic strategic interactions among competitors in a component market and demand factors in the market for the end product. The structure of competition in the US microprocessor (MPU) industry is analyzed using data on prices and sales in both the MPU market as well as the market for personal computers. The pattern of dynamic strategic interaction between competing firms in this market on a key decision variable, price is studied. Non-nested model comparison tests based on equilibrium solutions derived for specific differential games are applied to identify the mode of competitive strategy between pairs of competing brands. The empirical fit to the longitudinal and cross-sectional data, of alternative models of competition, independent (Bertrand?CNash), Stackelberg leader?Cfollower, and Collusion, is used to determine which dynamic model best describes actual competitive behavior over the life of each MPU. Demand for the product market which is downstream from microprocessors, that for personal computers, is estimated using a generalized diffusion model with price effects. Data from the markets for desktop and laptop computers are analyzed at the level of computer vendor and internal microprocessor. Patterns are uncovered, linking downstream demand parameters with upstream competitive strategy. There is evidence to suggest that when there are strong diffusion effects driving sales of both the competing computer brands, there is a higher likelihood of Bertrand?CNash competition among MPU firms. However, when there are higher cross-price effects (substitutability) among personal computer brands there is a greater chance of Stackelberg leader?Cfollower price competition. When self-price effects are relatively high, the likelihood of Bertrand?CNash competition among MPU firms increases. Furthermore, when the potential demand for the computer product category is high, there is a higher likelihood of Bertrand?CNash pricing in the MPU market.     

Trade protection and tax evasion: Evidence from Kenya,Mauritius, and Nigeria

We examine the effect of trade protection rates on evasion in three African countries Kenya, Mauritius, and Nigeria. In capturing the effect of trade protection on tariff evasion, we use a much improved measure of trade protection (MAcMap-HS6 2001 and 2004). For two of these countries, this dataset allows the novelty of using variation in trade protection across product, time, and trading partners leading to significantly refined estimates of evasion elasticity relative to existing studies on tariff evasion. We find a robust evidence for positive elasticity of evasion with respect to tariffs in Kenya and Nigeria with relatively weaker evidence for Mauritius. Our results match the rankings of countries in institutional quality. Greater responsiveness of evasion to the level of tariffs is established in Nigeria (comparatively weak institutional quality) vis-à-vis Kenya, and in Kenya vis-à-vis Mauritius (comparatively good institutional quality). This pattern is preserved even when focusing on same set of trading partners and same set of imported products for the three countries. This result is robust to controlling for protection on related products (that creates incentives/ opportunities for evasion) and also for degree of differentiation of the product and some other characteristics.     

The Role of Country of Origin in Celebrity Endorsements: Integrating Effects of Brand Familiarity

ABSTRACT

With the advent of globalization and open economies in the developing nations, the consumers in the same are experiencing entry of more and more foreign products. The traditional practice of having country of origin (COO) cues to influence consumer attitudes is being juxtaposed with COO cues of celebrity endorsers to influence consumers. In that context, the present study investigates whether (a) a global celebrity would be more applicable for a brand regardless of its COO (local or global); (b) a global celebrity would have a more favorable impact on the consumer attitudes for a third country (TC) brand; and (c) brand familiarity would moderate the effects of celebrity endorsements on consumer attitudes. Based on a detailed literature review, four hypotheses were developed and tested through two experimental designs using nonstudent participants. The independent variables used in study were celebrity endorser COO and brand COO. Major findings indicate a celebrity–brand COO match to create favorable impact on consumer attitudes. Findings also supported the effectiveness of a global celebrity for a brand that does not share the same COO. Brand familiarity was found to moderate the effect of the endorser on consumer attitudes. The study has implications for academia and practitioners.