The CRM process in retail and service sector firms in Japan: Loyalty development and financial return

Research on customer relationship management (CRM) in general has focused on the effects of customer satisfaction with CRM, customer retention and profit management, and the effects of CRM technique on performance. Conceptually, however, a sequence of effects of CRM is expected, from CRM implementation to financial performance, but this sequence has not been explored. Whilst several definitions of CRM have been proposed, this article defines CRM as relationship-development programmes based on IT. CRM is regarded as the integration of relationship technology (i.e. data consolidating and data mining) with loyalty schemes. Survey research was conducted in Japan in the retail and service industries to test three hypotheses: (1) a firm's relationship orientation has a positive effect on CRM implementation (data warehousing, data mining, using customer data for decision making); (2) CRM implementation has a positive effect on return on equity; and (3) CRM implementation has an indirect effect on return on equity, mediated by customisation. Using a structural equation model the first hypothesis was supported, but the third hypothesis was only partially supported. In these analyses a direct effect of CRM implementation on return on equity (ROE) was supported; however, a negative impact of customisation on ROE was found.     

Information and its impact on consumers׳ reactions to restrictive return policies

Designing an effective return policy is a difficult task for retailers. A very restrictive return policy can keep logistic costs down and prevent fraudulent returns but it can also have a negative effect on consumer behavior. Two experiments explore the role of assortment-related information in moderating consumers׳ negative reactions to more restrictive product return policies. The results demonstrate that consumers will view an assortment characterized by a more restrictive return policy as attractive to the extent that the assortment supports the information processing strategy triggered by the return policy.     

Are Multiple Directorships Beneficial in East Asia?

We posit that the benefits and costs of multiple directorships are conditional on firm characteristics. We find firm valuation is positively associated with multiple directorships in (i) firms with high advising needs and (ii) firms with high external financing needs. These beneficial effects of multiple directorships are generally stronger in countries with weak shareholder rights and in firms that are widely held. However, when controlling shareholder hold high voting‐rights to cash‐flow rights, multiple directorships reduce firm valuation, especially in countries with weak shareholder rights and in closely held firms. As multiple directorships increases, cash holdings (capital expenditures) contribute less to shareholder value. The negative association between value of cash (capital expenditure) and busy boards is mitigated in firms with (i) high advising needs, (ii) high external financing needs and (iii) less entrenched ownership structures.     

Does the reputation mechanism apply to independent directors in emerging markets? Evidence from China

We examine whether reputable independent directors improve firm performance and governance quality in emerging markets, using data from China. Firms with such directors, measured as the number of directorships in other listed firms, have higher profitability, operating efficiency and productivity. They suffer from fewer agency problems, pay more cash dividends and have lower likelihoods of receiving modified audit opinions and participating in financial disclosure-related irregularities than their counterparts. In China’s unique institutional context, the reputation mechanism for independent directors applies to firms in regions with weak marketization environments, non-state-owned enterprises and firms without political connections; it also applies when external governance is weak. Overall, reputable independent directors appear to occupy valuable advising and monitoring roles and compensate for weak institutions and governance in China.     

上市公司资本结构影响因素分析——来自我国房地产行业的经验数据

论文选取房地产行业58家上市公司作为实证样本,运用多元回归分析的方法,分析了影响资本结构的主要因素。研究结论表明：公司规模与资本结构显著正相关;盈利能力、偿债能力与资本结构显著负相关;成长性和股权结构与资本结构不显著正相关。论文的研究以期为更好的优化上市公司资本结构提供依据,为其实现公司价值的最大化提供一定的借鉴意义。     

上海股票市场规模效应的实证研究

规模效应是指公司规模与收益率之间存在的反向关系,即小规模公司较大公司而言有着更高的收益率。本文从上海证券市场随机抽取60只股票作为数据样本,对其从2007年1月到2009年6月之间的公司数据进行实证研究,得出上海股市存在着规模效应这一结论。