Corporates' strategic responses to economic policy uncertainty in China

Using a novel news‐based index of economic policy uncertainty, this paper studies the impact of economic policy uncertainty on corporate strategic positioning and corporate risk in China from 2009 to 2015. The study also investigates the impact of corporate strategic positioning on corporate risk. The results show that corporate strategic positioning and economic policy uncertainty have a significant positive impact on corporate risk. The results also explain that economic policy uncertainty increases the market risk of the firms irrespective of their corporate strategy. However, it increases the business risk of prospector firms and decreases the business risk of defensive firms. The study may help the firms to formulate and improve their strategic positioning while considering economic policy uncertainty. Our results are robust to alternate proxies of economic policy uncertainty and corporate risk.     

Options on federal funds futures and interest rate volatility

This study examines the response of the spot and futures interest rates on the fed funds, Eurodollar, and Libor to the listing of CME fed funds options. With the exception of the Libor futures, the introduction of options is associated with a decrease in the conditional volatility of the interest rates in the sample. There is also evidence that the volume of options trading has a negative effect on the fed funds and the Eurodollar spot rates. In contrast, the fed funds and the Eurodollar futures rates respond positively to the volume of options trading. Overall, strong generalization of the effects of options listing and options trading across the markets is not possible. These results remain robust even after controlling for several exogenous variables including changes in the Fed's target for the fed funds rate, the TED spread, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and day‐of‐the‐week effects.     

Factors Influencing Consumer Acceptance of Mobile Marketing: A Two-Country Study of Youth Markets

The purpose of this study is to examine factors affecting consumers' acceptance of mobile marketing across two global markets. Drawing upon technology acceptance and uses and gratifications theories, we develop and estimate a conceptual model of the influences of antecedent factors (including risk acceptance related to the mobile platform and personal attachment related to mobile devices) on behavioral intent related to mobile marketing practice. We further propose that the above relationships are mediated by activities that consumers engage in such as downloading, forwarding content and registering with firms. Focusing on youth consumers, we empirically test the model using data collected in both an established (U.S.) and an emerging market (Pakistan). Findings across these two markets reflect cross-market similarities and differences related to consumer acceptance factors. We draw implications from these findings related to both theory and practice.     

中国的居民收入：被忽略的低消费之解析

近年来中国政府一直在强调促进消费、平衡经济增长。尽管中国经济飞速增长，但消费在总支出中的占比很低、且不断下降，对此普遍的解释是：由于上世纪90年代中期以来，养老、医疗和教育支出的不确定性增加导致了中国居高不下的居民储蓄率。本文发现，储蓄率的增加只是消费占比下降的次要原因，重要的原因是国民收入中的居民收入占比持续下降，包括工资、投资收益和政府转移支付在内全面减少。金融业的不发达又限制了企业从银行获得营运资金贷款，这是造成工资和投资收益不断下降的主要原因。     

Incorporating choice dynamics in models of consumer behavior

This paper presents a framework for organizing and discussing factors influencing consumer choice dynamics, how these factors may be incorporated into models of buyer behavior and problems that may arise in estimating such models. The paper identifies research issues and delineates possible approaches. Proceedings of Session on Choice Dynamics at the Banff Symposium on Consumer Decision-Making and Choice Behavior. All authors share equally in content and remaining errors.     

Information content of the fed funds rates

This study shows that the Fed Funds spot rate mostly affects the level of key interest rates while the Fed Funds futures rate tends to affect both the level and the volatility. Such effects are more concentrated on the shorter segment of the yield curve. In addition, only an unexpected change in the target rate affects both the level and the volatility of interest rates. Finally, the FOMC's increased disclosure of its policy stance has a calming effect on the volatility of key interest rates. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 25:753–774, 2005