Gamified interactions: whether,when, and how games facilitate self–brand connections

Firms increasingly use games to interact with their customers. Yet, surprisingly little is known about whether, when, and how such “gamified” interactions engage consumers with a firm’s brand, thereby facilitating self–brand connections. Building on flow theory, we show that gamified interactions that are highly interactive and optimally challenging facilitate self–brand connections, because such games lead to emotional and cognitive brand engagement. A field study and three experiments across various product domains and game designs support our theory. We also identify conditions under which consumers do not become engaged with a brand, namely when firms restrict their decisional control either to voluntarily participate in the game (i.e., compulsory play) or to spend as much time as desired playing the game (i.e., time pressure). Our findings advance existing knowledge about the use of games in marketing and provide important implications for how marketers can harness their potential to build self–brand connections.     

土木工程管理与工程造价的有效控制

土木工程管理和成本管理对土木工程很重要,适当引入先进的管理和思想观念,并利用现代科学技术和社会进步来管理项目和控制成本,从而使建筑企业可以有效地管理项目成本,加快项目建设并提高企业效率.本文对土木工程成本的管理和项目管理中需要解决的关键问题进行深入分析,并提供切实可行的解决方案来促进我国土木工程行业的健康和可持续发展.     

非正规就业人员工作自主性与体面劳动感知——情绪耗竭和超时劳动的视角

与正规就业相比较,劳动者选择非正规就业的重要理由是其工作自主性.对于非正规就业人员来说,工作自主性是否能带来体面劳动感知,工作自主性对体面劳动感知影响过程中存在哪些关键变量,学术界尚未有明确的实证结论.基于工作-需求资源模型,本研究利用中国劳动力动态调查数据库对上述猜想进行实证检验,结果发现:工作自主性对体面劳动感知有显著正向作用;工作自主性显著负向影响情绪耗竭;在工作自主性与体面劳动感知之间,情绪耗竭起着部分中介作用;超时劳动负向调节工作自主性与体面劳动感知之间的关系,即超时劳动越严重,工作自主性对体面劳动感知的正向影响越弱;超时劳动在工作自主性和情绪耗竭之间不存在调节作用.通过对正规就业人员与非正规就业人员的对比分析发现,与非正规就业人员相比,正规就业人员工作自主性对情绪耗竭起着显著正向作用,超时劳动正向调节工作自主性与体面劳动感知之间的关系.     

Fixed-Term Contracts and Labor Market Duality in France

The French labor market is segmented between permanent and temporary workers. The second category has difficulty in getting an open-ended contract. This paper aims at depicting workers on short-term contracts and shows the consequences on their professional career are negative and significant. A large part of the wage gap between permanent and temporary workers remains unexplained by observable characteristics. They receive less on-the-job training and their likelihood of obtaining a stable job is lower than 30% after 1 year and a half. They have also a higher probability of being the adjustment variable in case of an economic negative shock. These different findings show the importance of using public policies to encourage transitions from fixed-term to permanent employment and reducing labor-market duality.     

Marketing online banking services: The voice of the customer

US banks have invested heavily in developing online capabilities, with the expectation of migrating customers to the new cheaper delivery system. Results in the USA thus far have been mixed at best; market penetration is low and customer usage is sporadic, focusing mainly on simple tasks. This paper reports on the first of two studies conducted to investigate the reasons for the mediocre performance. A qualitative consumer study revealed significant differences in attitudes and opinions between early users and those that banks hope will adopt next. Most importantly, future prospects could be characterised as indifferent about online banking; many were not convinced about its benefits and the value it provides. While the potential to expand the market for online banking services exists, banks need to re-examine their marketing approach.     

Differences between bank employees' perceptions towards implications of electronic banking in Greece

This paper aims to identify both the Greek branch and the central division employees' perceptions towards implications of electronic banking adoption and explore whether there are any differences between them. To this end, based on 14 potential implications recognised in the literature review, a questionnaire was designed and completed by 613 bank employees. The analysis showed that perceptions vary in relation to respondents' working position. Additionally, there are indications that the identified differences are greater if they are linked with the respondents' working experience and educational qualifications, as well as the size of the financial institution. In conclusion, the paper discusses the strategic implications of the findings.     

Thought leadership in investment banking: The beginning of a new era

The paper argues that although considerations such as industry consolidation, the role of lending and the effects of technology are still important in shaping the future of investment banking, sustainable competitive advantage necessitates that emphasis is also placed on thought leadership. This entails quite a radical change in terms of the way in which the industry approaches the problem of competition and requires emphasis on value creation for all the constituent parts of the industry: corporations, investors, the banks themselves and research departments. Accordingly, the paper provides a rationale for this change and provides inter alia a range of examples to illustrate how thought leadership could lead to a fundamental change in the future of the investment banking industry.