Online Shoppers' Perceptions and Use of Comparison-Shopping Sites: An Exploratory Study

Comparison-shopping sites currently offer online shoppers various combinations of free services such as price comparisons, merchant ratings, links to e-tailers’ websites, and/or customer reviews in the search results page(s). The utility and market values of shopping comparison sites have attracted Internet giants such as eBay, Google, and Yahoo to the extent of developing or acquiring such sites. Scholarly research on comparison-shopping sites has focused on (1) trust in online recommendation agents, and (2) methods used by electronic agents to produce the recommendations. Our study explored how online shoppers’ attitudes toward comparison-shopping sites impact perceived credibility and usefulness of these sites. We also examined online shoppers’ merchant selection criteria and their likelihood to continue using comparison-shopping sites. One interesting finding from our study was that merchants need to be strong on site ratings and brand awareness to appeal to a wide online market. The finding dispelled the notion that e-tailers presented by shopping comparison sites need to compete, basically, only on price.     

农产品电子商务及其模式创新

对农产品电子商务的发展背景、发展现状、创新模式、盈利模式加以研究，认为我国应鼓励探索多种农产品电子商务模式，加快农产品电子商务建设。     

Relationship Between Companies and the Public on Facebook: The Portuguese and the Brazilian Context

ABSTRACT

This study analyzes how companies use Facebook to facilitate discussions with the public in two countries, Portugal and Brazil, through an exploratory content analysis of corporate Facebook pages. Overall, companies in both countries tend to recognize the relevance of Facebook in relationship development and therefore they use online strategies. Nevertheless, Portuguese companies are ahead of the Brazilian in providing calendars of events and partnerships with blogs/giveaways. They also tend to include more links to media reports. Compared to the Portuguese, the Brazilian public enjoys posting publications that express their feelings and/or emotions more. The article also discusses the implications of corporate relationship management practice.     

Discussing Brand Information on Social Networking Sites: Implications for Global Brand Marketing

Due to the proliferation of information that global brands disseminate on social networking sites (SNS), how to induce SNS users to discuss such information is a topic deserving intensive research efforts. In recent years, scholars have begun to explore the topic from several perspectives. However, there is still a lack of conceptual theorization and empirical verification with more comprehensive probing into the psychological processes through which SNS users become motivated to engage in discussing brand information provided by brand marketers. The current study, based on integrative reconfiguration of relevant theories and a large-scale survey, develops and validates a theoretical model to explicate the key determinants in this regard. Data were obtained from 1518 respondents, who have been active SNS users for at least one year. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling facilitate validation of the model. According to the research findings, affective attitude is a stronger factor than instrumental attitude in predicting the discussion behavior of SNS users relative to brand information intentionally designed and disseminated by brand marketers. Additionally, past behavior in discussing online business news, alongside subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, exercises significant effect on such behavior. Most noteworthy, identity construction generates the greatest impact on behavioral intention and actual behavior among SNS users to discuss brand information that brand marketers provide to them. In general, the current study contributes to making better use of SNS for global brand marketing.     

The land resource: Policy and management

Summary

This paper advocates the preparation by major urban planning authorities of land budgets to obtain a satisfactory balance between the development of derelict or vacant land and greenfield sites. Such budgets, requiring a city‐regional dimension, should be implemented by the public and private sectors, both of which need to find means of channelling profits from peripheral or out‐of‐town projects to counter losses on the development or ‘greening’ of inner‐city sites. Suggestions are made as to the form of land budgets, and the means by which they could be put into effect. The paper reviews briefly the various outlooks on the issue of balance between the development of urban and rural land, and the state of the art of priority setting for this purpose by central and local government. Although high standards are set by a few metropolitan areas in accounting for and monitoring the land resource, this is by no means widespread. Indeed in several major urban areas the matter does not even appear to be treated as a policy issue. Amongst the measures required to improve the situation is the need for wider use of skills attuned to development finance and management.     

铁路战略装车点若干问题综述

随着我国铁路网规模的不断扩大,货物集散点能力与铁路线路的输送能力也会出现协调问题。战略装车点就是在这样的背景下随着铁路货物运输组织方法改革和技术装备更新后出现的新事物。深入研究战略装车点建设对铁路货物运输的影响,分析战略装车点区域货物运输组织、车流组织及运输效益的变化,进一步探讨我国铁路货物运输组织变革具有现实意义。     

Knowledge sharing and firm performance: the role of social networking site and innovation capability

This study developed a framework to explore SNSs' capability as a strategic platform from which firms can overcome environmental turbulence and develop higher level knowledge sharing and firm performance output. The moderating effects of two types of innovation capability, product development capability and operational capability, were taken into consideration. We propose that SNSs' capability paired with strong product development capability is the key to improving knowledge sharing performance. SNSs' capability paired with strong operational capability can improve firm performance by advancing incremental innovation processes. Drawing upon the literature regarding information systems, knowledge management, and firm innovation, we propose a conceptual model adopted from the environment-strategy-performance framework to explore how these key factors interact to determine the fate of a firm.     

From fighting against death to commemorating the dead at Tangshan Earthquake heritage sites

ABSTRACT

While previous studies have emphasized the social construction aspect in man-made disasters, this study applies this framework to natural disasters. By focusing on three different commemorative heritage sites of the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake, constructed over the years in China, we argue that similar to man-made disasters, the construction of natural disaster dark heritage is also influenced by political, social and cultural factors. From fighting against death to celebrating life, the representations of death in dark heritage sites are always changing, particularly in transitional China, and tourism has played a role in this dynamic process. Some of the key features of natural disaster dark heritage sites are also discussed.     

Understanding consumers’ social networking site usage

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine consumer motivations to use social networking sites (SNSs) for three distinct activities: (1) general SNS usage, (2) the joining of a business’s SNS page and (3) clicking on an advertisement on a SNS. To assist with this exploration we draw upon the decomposed theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical lens and conduct a mixed-method study that utilises both an empirical investigation as well as qualitative focus group interviews in order to delve deeper into specific reasons why individuals engage in SNS activities. Results show that a number of antecedents such as attitude, compatibility, relative advantage, complexity, normative influences and self-efficacy come into play when determining SNS usage activities. However, specific antecedents may vary according to the explicit activity under investigation. This study’s main contribution involves advancing our understanding of consumer behaviour as it relates to SNS activities by examining not only antecedents to intention but also attitude, subjective norms and behavioural control. Other contributions include additional development of the SNS literature, integrating SNSs into a classical theoretical framework and providing valuable insights and implications for both practitioners and researchers alike.