Culture and International business research: A review and research agenda

This study explores the role of culture and international business in internationalization outcomes through a systematic review and analysis of articles published between 2009 and 2019. By mapping the current research domain, this review reflects the avenues for future research in theory development, context, characteristics, and methodology (TCCM) in eight research clusters identified as national culture, external uncertainty avoidance, knowledge transfer & collaboration, HRM & management practices, international diversification research, entrepreneurial mindset, interaction, and firm performance. The clusters were grouped into independent factors and internationalization outcome factors. This framework provided deeper insights into the theoretical implications which will lead to further advancement in these research areas.     

基于HTML5+住宅专项维修资金管理APP的设计与实现

随着智能设备的普及，移动应用成为了新的趋势。首先介绍一种基于HTML5+住宅专项维修资金管理的移动APP应用。系统后台采用SSM框架，前台使用MUI框架结合HTML5+实现。该系统提升了住宅专项维修资金管理的办公效率、信息化水平。     

旅游地社会-生态系统成长模式研究——以金寨县为例

旅游引发的自然、社会、物质和人力资本等流量与流向的变化,关系着旅游地社会-生态系统运行的轨迹和可持续状态。基于循环经济相关理论,尝试构建旅游地社会-生态系统“五流”分析框架,以金寨县为案例地,使用PCA-OWA方法,分析2008—2019年旅游地社会-生态系统的资本变化、成长阶段及成长模式,并对其演化轨迹进行情景模拟。结果表明：（1）旅游业通过直接影响人口流动、商品和服务流动、信息流动以及各种资源消耗等“流”因素,使得金寨县旅游地社会-生态系统的物质和人力资本逐步增加,但社会资本仍处于较低水平,自然资本消耗较为明显;（2）12年间金寨县社会-生态系统呈现逐步好转的态势,其成长可划分为2008—2011年低水平匀速增长及2012—2019年快速成长2个阶段;（3）外生模式是金寨县目前持续的运行状态,未来在环境保护与经济发展关系的不断优化下有可能进入内生模式。随着旅游活动的扰动增强,旅游地社会-生态系统内部关系更加复杂,深入探究旅游地社会-生态系统成长的内在机理,可为区域可持续发展的政策制定提供科学参考。     

Spoils from the Spoiled: Strategies for Entering Stigmatized Markets

Stigmatized markets are those where either the products/services, or the consumers, or both, have been collectively, negatively stereotyped and devalued by one or more stakeholder audiences in ways that discredit the overall market. Many stigmatized markets exist, and many flourish, yet little systematic attention has focused on entry into such markets. Our article addresses this gap by conceptualizing various strategies for entering stigmatized markets. We further present propositions regarding the market‐level factors that can influence which of these strategies firms will choose to employ. The contributions include: conceptually clarifying the nature of stigmatized markets; identifying additional types of entry strategies relevant for entering stigmatized markets; theorizing the conditions under which firms would choose one entry strategy over another; and opening up for consideration the effects that market entry may have on stigmatized actors in targeted markets.     

Investigating consumer binge-watching behavior: A valence framework perspective

Binge-watching (BW) behavior has emerged rapidly in recent years. However, a comprehensive understanding of how BW is influenced and how it has changed is lacking. This study uses the valence framework to hypothesize the effects of positive valences (advantages) and negative valences (drawbacks) on consumers' tendency of BW through the mediating effects of consumer attitudes toward BW and tests the role played by consumers' self-control in the association between consumer attitudes toward BW and the tendency of BW. The results from the survey data analysis (N = 454) identify three negative valences (depression, loneliness, and social problems) and four positive valences (enjoyment, passing time, stress relief, and social interaction) that influence consumer attitudes toward BW. In addition, we confirm a U-shaped relationship between consumers' attitudes toward BW and the tendency of BW and find that consumers’ self-control has a moderating effect on this U-shaped association. Theoretically, we extend the valence theory into the study of BW behavior and investigate the specific positive and negative valences in this area. Practically, our findings could help broadcasters design strategies to promote BW.     

Continuous-time multi-cohort mortality modelling with affine processes

Continuous-time mortality models, based on affine processes, provide many advantages over discrete-time models, especially for financial applications, where such processes are commonly used for interest rate and credit risks. This paper presents a multi-cohort mortality model for age-cohort mortality rates with common factors across cohorts as well as cohort-specific factors. The mortality model is based on well-developed and used techniques from interest rate theory and has many applications including the valuation of longevity-linked products. The model has many appealing features. It is a multi-cohort model that describes the whole mortality surface, it captures cohort effects, it allows for observed imperfect correlation between different cohorts, it is shown to fit historical data at pension-related ages very well, it has closed-form expressions for survival curves and we show that it outperforms a number of other commonly used discrete-time mortality models in forecasting future survival curves.     

An empirical analysis on the effects of the inflation targeting framework on monetary policy in South Africa

This article examines the impact of the adoption of an Inflation Targeting (IT) framework in 2000 on the conduct of South Africa’s monetary policy. Taylor rule analysis is used to test empirically whether the implementation of IT in South Africa can be shown to have impacted on the conduct of monetary policy. In particular, the article analyses whether the implementation of the IT framework yields the expected changes when comparing the conduct of monetary policy pre and post the adoption of the IT framework. Thereafter, an analysis of term structure of interest rates, which serve as a proxy variable for market expectations, is used to test whether South Africa’s IT framework has resulted in more predictability and transparency in monetary policy conduct. Lastly, the article analyses the impact of the global financial crisis of 2008–2009, the so‐called Great Recession, on the predictability and transparency of monetary policy in South Africa.     

When does comparability better enhance relevance? Policy implications from empirical evidence

This study investigates the user-specific contexts under which comparability better enhances relevance of accounting information. We first confirm the intuition in the FASB’s (2010) current conceptual framework by documenting that the short-window earnings response coefficient (ERC) is positively associated with the pre-determined level of comparability. Using the cross-sectional variation in the positive relation between ERC and comparability, we show that the link between ERC and comparability is more pronounced for firms with higher investor sophistication and lower information asymmetry among investors. We further support our predictions using analysts’ earnings forecast revisions and various alternative measures of earnings informativeness. In sum, our paper shows that comparability improves information users’ ability to identify similarities and differences across different firms to a greater extent when investor base is more sophisticated and private information is less prevalent. These results suggest that standard setters, regulators, and practitioners should devote more attention to the role of comparability in firms whose investors are less sophisticated and information environment is more opaque.     

Path dependencies versus efficiencies in regulation: Evidence from “old” and “new” broadband markets in the EU

This paper examines the determinants of sector-specific regulation imposed on broadband markets related both to efficiency objectives of regulators and to those of narrowly defined interest groups. We test hypotheses derived from the normative and positive theoretical literature employing recent panel data on 27 European Union member states taking into account endogeneity of the underlying regulation and market structure variables. Our empirical specification employs three different estimators based on instrumental variables in order to identify causal effects. We find evidence supporting both regulators pursuing normative objectives and inefficiencies related to regulatory path dependence, bureaucracy goals and an inadequate consideration of competition from mobile broadband networks. Our results call for adjustments in the institutional design of the decision-making process under the current European Union regulatory framework.     

Do Vendor Cues Influence Purchase Intention of Online Shoppers? An Empirical Study Using S-O-R Framework

The purpose of the current research is to understand the influence of vendor cues like brand reputation. Brand familiarity and offline presence on trust and attitude of online shoppers and consequently on online purchase intention. Data was collected through a web based survey. The findings of the study reported that vendor offline cues have a strong and positive impact on the online purchase intentions of the shoppers. Further, this study also contributed by proving that the trust has a strong relationship with purchase intention as compare to attitude.