Explaining geospatial variation in mobile phone ownership among rural women of Bangladesh: A multi-level and multidimensional approach

Despite significant progress in Information and communication technologies (ICTs), rural dwellers of Bangladesh are still less fortunate when it comes to availing the improved ICT facilities compared to their urban counterparts, and this digital divide is more evident in the case of women. Mobile phone ownership (MPO) can play a key role in bridging this digital divide and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of “End poverty in all its forms everywhere”, “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, and “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. Administrative district-level infrastructural and societal readiness to women's MPO in rural settings of Bangladesh may also influence the geospatial variation in their MPO status, which is still unexplained. In the context of rural Bangladesh, household heads substantially exert influence over women's decision-making process. However, the role of household heads' age and education on women's MPO is mostly unexplored. As in developing countries, women's MPO does not ensure its usage, investigating the possibilities of women's MPO on its usage has immense importance. Therefore, this study aims to revisit the correlates of rural women's MPO in Bangladesh and explain the administrative district-level geospatial variation in their MPO by controlling the effect of individual and household-level sociodemographic correlates of MPO. Further, this study attempts to investigate the possibilities of MPO on the extent of its usage. This study used the latest nationally representative cross-sectional data from Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019. This study reveals that the district-level readiness was a potential source of geospatial variation in the prevalence of rural women's MPO in Bangladesh. The lowest level of readiness was noticed in north-western Bangladesh. Comparatively elderly women with better education and media exposure had a considerably higher chance of MPO. Elderly household heads, especially male and less educated heads, hindered the MPO of women. This study identified MPO as a key determinant of its extent of usage. Moreover, to increase the MPO by a faster pace, strategies should target less empowered women, particularly those who lived in districts of lower readiness.     

Changes in women’s empowerment in the household,women’s diet diversity,and their relationship against the background of COVID-19 in southern Bangladesh

The COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, associated public health measures, and people’s reactions were projected to have caused job losses among women, a decline in women’s empowerment and reduced women’s diet diversity. Using a November 2020 telephone survey to re-interview adult female respondents of a November 2019 in-person survey, contrary to expectations we find that more women found than lost jobs, and women’s diet diversity increased over the year partly marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. We did not find evidence of a decline in women’s involvement in food purchase decisions, nor women’s autonomy over use of household income. The change in women’s outside employment is neither statistically related to changes in women’s involvement in food purchase decisions, changes women’s autonomy over use of household income, nor changes in women’s diet diversity. Change in women’s involvement in food purchase decisions is positively related with change in women’s diet diversity and change in women’s autonomy over income use is negatively related with change in women’s diet diversity.     

The impact of channel integration on consumers’ channel preferences: Do showrooming and webrooming behaviors matter?

This study investigates the relationships among channel integration and consumers' online and offline patronage intentions. The theoretical framework proposes perceived empowerment, perceived assortment, and perceived benefits as mediating variables in the channel integration–patronage intention relationship, with consumer showrooming and webrooming behaviors as moderating variables. Data was collected by means of two studies; that is, for search and for experience products, respectively. The proposed conceptual model was tested by employing variance-based structural equation modeling. The results of both studies confirm that channel integration significantly affects consumers’ channel preferences. The mediating roles of empowerment, assortment, and benefits were confirmed for all of the relationships except for the mediating effect of empowerment on the relationship between channel integration and offline patronage intention. Further, showrooming and webrooming moderated the positive impact of channel integration on online/offline patronage intentions. The study contributes to the multi-channel retailing literature by providing useful implications for academicians and practitioners.     

职务科技成果赋权改革的法治标准及优化路径研究

中国公立高校院所职务科技成果权属改革进入赋权科研人员的改革深水区。赋权改革关系到公共财产合理处置与国家知识产权安全建设，必须在法治框架内施行。只有以落实单位权属法定与依法赋权原则为形式标准、以落实合比例赋权原则为实质标准推进改革，才能以法治手段规避改革过程中政府与市场的双重失灵。当前中国职务科技成果赋权改革面临试点方案违背上位法、赋权决策不合比例等法治难题。鉴于此，有关部门应进一步梳理完善职务科技成果单位所有与依法赋权的顶层设计，从目的适当性、手段必要性与结果均衡性等实质法治标准出发修正现有赋权改革措施，重点完善公立科研单位赋权科研人员的国资管理宽容规范、权利共有规则体系以及公益保障机制。     

赋权改革背景下职务科技成果共同所有权的行使逻辑

赋予科研人员职务科技成果所有权的改革举措，开辟了促进科技成果转化的新路径。赋权之后职务科技成果共有权如何行使，成为当前学界和实务界关注的焦点。总结我国职务科技成果赋权共有在权源、主体、客体、程序等方面的特殊性，阐释职务科技成果共有权的规范行使要求，强调职务科技成果共同所有权行使目标的协调，进而揭示职务科技成果共同所有权行使的典型风险。研究发现：事前的风险防范需优化权属自治，引导科研人员和单位在赋权协议标准条款的基础上进行更加充分与细致的协商；事中的风险防范需加强动态管理，建立沟通交流渠道以促进协同防范；事后的风险防范需厘清各方主体的责任，落实风险共担以回应权责利的统一。     

Affinity networks as diversity instruments. Three sociological dilemmas

Are affinity networks, like women’s, LGBTQ+ and bicultural employee networks, really effective instruments for diversity management? These networks, also called identity networks, diversity networks or employee resource groups, are seen as important means to make organizations more inclusive and to provide spaces for professional development and social networking. However, they also strengthen exclusionary norms and power hierarchies. The identification of three sociological dilemmas shines light on the complexities and the ambiguous effects of identity networks. Through its discourse, activities and organizational structure, a network either supports individual career advancement – while strengthening existing inequalities – or promotes organizational change. Recognizing these dilemmas will help researchers, organizations, diversity practitioners, and affinity networks to make more informed and deliberate choices.     

技术需求与智能制造技术创新——数字经济的导向性赋能机制

智能制造技术创新是持续推动制造业高质量发展的关键动力。为探究制造业技术需求、数字经济赋能对非市场与市场导向下智能制造技术创新的作用机制，基于技术创新需求拉动理论，引入数字经济赋能构建投入-产出两阶段模型。分析发现，当政府研发补贴较高时，劳动替代需求与智能制造技术创新投入呈倒U型相关，对智能制造研发投入产生挤出效应；以效率提升为主的技术市场需求通过影响企业智能制造技术创新投入，间接推动技术创新产出。有调节的中介模型检验表明，数字经济赋能正向调节市场导向的智能制造技术创新产出，但对非市场导向的技术创新不具赋能作用。在充分利用数字经济发展优势的同时，应依托需求拉动机制开发更多需求侧政策工具，进一步激发智能制造技术创新。