清理整顿后中国信托业务的发展思路

近几年国家为规范信托行为 ,对信托业进行了全面的清理整顿工作。本文主要探讨现阶段适合我国国情的信托业发展模式 ,通过设计多样化的信托品种 ,防范风险、保障信托投资机构稳健经营。     

A Typology of Communicative Strategies in Online Privacy Policies: Ethics, Power and Informed Consent

The opaque use of data collection methods on the WWW has given rise to privacy concerns among Internet users. Privacy policies on websites may ease these concerns, if they communicate clearly and unequivocally when, how and for what purpose data are collected, used or shared. This paper examines privacy policies from a linguistic angle to determine whether the language of these documents is adequate for communicating data-handling practices in a manner that enables informed consent on the part of the user. The findings highlight that corporate privacy policies obfuscate, enhance and mitigate unethical data handling practices and use persuasive appeals to increase companies’ trustworthiness. The communicative strategies identified provide starting points for redesigning existing privacy statements with a view to communicating data handling practices in a more transparent and responsible manner, laying the groundwork for informed consent.     

The benefits and implementation of performance transparency: The why and how of letting your customers ‘see through’ your business

While some organizations swear by the benefits of transparency and are eager to learn and implement transparency practices, many managers are still reluctant or even afraid to use them. Our research reveals that only a few innovative companies have taken steps to leverage a potentially useful form of transparency: the provision of accessible and objective information to customers (e.g., sharing unbiased benchmark data, publishing unfiltered customer comments, or providing candid product reviews that may praise but also criticize the company’s products). Our study also shows that many companies remain wary and view greater calls for transparency as a challenge to be managed rather than an opportunity to be traded upon. This is partly due to limited research into the performance benefits of giving customers access to objective information, and lack of practical guidelines on how to actually implement it. This article addresses these shortcomings. First, we investigate whether performance transparency leads to customer outcomes that can be profitable for an organization and, second, we analyze the characteristics of successful transparency initiatives in a wide range of industries. Our research shows that customers exhibit more trust and are willing to pay a premium to deal with transparent businesses. Also, it uncovers seven effective strategies to leverage transparency. This article provides convincing empirical evidence for the benefits of performance transparency and the ways in which management may implement it successfully.     

Determinants of consumers’ intentions to use smartphones apps for flight ticket bookings

This study examines customers’ adoption and acceptance of smartphone apps to book their flight tickets. By integrating customers’ innovativeness, involvement and perceived trust as additional variables, this study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and proposes a theoretical model that includes seven explanatory variables of the customers’ behavioural intentions: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, customers’ innovativeness, customers’ involvement and perceived trust. Data were collected from 369 customers who had booked their flight tickets via smartphone apps and was further analysed by employing partial least squares (PLS). Findings suggest that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, customer innovativeness and perceived trust are positive and significant determinants of customers’ intentions to book their flight tickets on smartphone apps. Accordingly, several important implications for academics and industry decision makers are formulated.     

Corporate social responsibility: a boon or bane for innovative firms?

In today’s dynamic business landscape, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is considered as an important strategic initiative for attaining sustainable competitive advantage. The present study aims to examine (i) the influence of consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness (CPFI) and consumer trust on perceived CSR activities of the firm and (ii) the mediating role of perceived CSR in the relationship between (iia) consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness and purchase intention (iib) consumer trust and purchase intention. Four hypotheses were tested with the primary data (n = 287) collected through a structured questionnaire. The regression analysis revealed that CPFI and consumer trust have direct positive impacts on the perceived CSR. Further, perceived CSR mediates the relationship between CPFI and purchase intention. However, perceived CSR does not play a mediating role between Consumer Trust and Purchase Intention. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that engagement in the CSR activities tend to reduce the perceived risk associated with innovation and consequently, influence the purchase intention among consumers. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed.     

Theoretical perspectives of supplier–buyer long-term relationships in India

Purpose: The purposes of this study are to investigate changing Indian supplier–buyer relationships and to propose an effective conceptual model using theoretically developed constructs such as power, performance, satisfaction (economic and noneconomic), conflict (economic and noneconomic), trust, cooperation, switching cost, and commitment

Methodology/approach: This study is focused on supplier–buyer relationships among Indian companies in the processed/packaged (not fresh) food business. All of the measures for the constructs were developed for and empirically tested in previous studies. Confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis were used to test the conceptual model.

Findings: First, Indian suppliers’ power sources and performance significantly influence satisfaction and conflict. Second, satisfaction and conflict are significantly related to cooperation, trust, and switching cost. Third, cooperation and trust have a significant impact on commitment.

Research implication: One of the unique aspects of the study is to analyze the differential effects of satisfaction and conflict in India. Using dichotomized (economic and noneconomic) constructs, the ways in which Indian buyers’ economic satisfaction, noneconomic satisfaction, economic conflict, and noneconomic conflict are related to other relationship constructs (power sources, performance, cooperation, trust, switching costs, and commitment) are investigated.

Originality/value/contribution: For global companies, a key requirement for success is how to develop and sustain long-term relationships with local companies. This study suggests practical and information for successful marketing strategies to establish long-term supplier–buyer relationships in India.     

Factors predicting attitude toward disclosing personal data online

To test a theoretical model, this study explores the effect of anxiety, trust, personality, and perceived benefits on the disclosure of personal information online. An online survey conducted among participants in the United States (n = 248, age range: 20–82 years) examined attitudes toward disclosing personal data online. Specifically, the study researches the impact of anxiety disclosing personal data, trust (both in the Internet and in institutions), the Big Five personality traits, and four sets of perceived shopping benefits (opportunity, bargain, purchase, and expected privacy benefits) in e-commerce disclosure and their role as antecedents for adoption and use of e-commerce. The study aligns with existing trust literature and corroborates other findings on how perceived purchase benefits impact individuals’ attitudes toward disclosing personal data online. The data suggest that both trust in the Internet and trust in institutions positively influence attitude toward disclosing personal data online. Perceived purchase benefits were also significant positive predictors for attitude toward disclosing personal data online. Furthermore, personality dimensions can affect attitude toward disclosing: the more neurotic a person is, the more negative their attitude is about disclosing personal data online. The study underscores that consumers have a responsibility to educate themselves about online disclosure and marketing practices, and about how to protect their online privacy. Most importantly, fostering trust, reducing anxiety, and promoting benefits are essential to the future of e-commerce. Implications for theory, consumers, marketing practice, and public policy are also discussed.     

Facebook fan page: the effect of perceived socialness in consumer–brand communication

Facebook has become an important platform for a brand–consumer relationship channel. The current study investigates the influence of perceived socialness and its effect on consumers’ attitude toward brands. Participants (N = 404) were recruited in a large southeast university. A 2 (socialness: high vs. low)?×?2 (feedback control: high vs. low)?×?2 (brand image: high vs. low) between-subject design was conducted. The results of this study identified three important findings. First, high (vs. low) socialness elicited higher perceived relationship commitment, brand trust, and more favorable brand attitude. Second, the effect of socialness on brand attitude was moderated by brand image (positive vs. negative). Third, the mediation analysis showed that the effect of socialness (high vs. low) on brand attitude was fully mediated by perceived relationship commitment and brand trust.     

Readers of Macunaíma and Martin Fierro are like two ships passing in the night: Bad for business

This is an exploratory study about the knowledge of Brazilian managers about Argentina and vice versa. Expressing a deeper knowledge of the partner's culture corresponds to greater familiarity, which facilitates the construction of the confidence necessary to do business. We analyzed the academic literature on familiarity and trust, and suggest that the interrelationships of these countries' economies could be enhanced by encouraging greater familiarity among business actors in the countries. The empirical data comes from surveys of MBA students from both countries, carried out in 2008, 2014, and 2015. The results suggest a significant lack of knowledge of the other and a relative stability of expressions of distrust over time, in the case of Brazilians. We conclude that it is advisable to encourage a greater intercultural understanding among business executives of both nations because this could accelerate mutually beneficial business and empower the executives' careers in the region. We also suggest that the demand for this type of intercultural skills should arise at corporations because the demand by executives is not sufficiently informed as to garner the necessary change and because the pay‐as‐you‐go income model of business schools responds to clients' needs rather than to what should be done.