Factors affecting donations in U.S. retail stores: A conceptual framework

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence consumer donations in U.S. retail stores. The study provides a conceptual framework of factors derived from the cause-related marketing, consumer behavior and psychology literatures. These factors are categorized as consumer-related factors, retailer-related factors and context-related factors. Consumer-related factors include consumer-retailer identification, consumer-cause affinity, impure altruism, civic engagement and post-purchase cognitive dissonance. Retailer-related factors consist of retailer-cause fit, retailer's commitment to the cause, retailer image as being altruistic, and retailer credibility. Context-related factors include time pressure, social pressure, shopping amount, and perceived savings during the shopping trip. This conceptual framework serves as a foundation for future empirical studies.     

Age-based policy for blood transshipment during blood shortage

This paper introduces the properties of inventory structure for both rescue and affected banks during blood shortage. An age-based transshipment model is developed, with two preference selection methods for transshipping blood units being presented. Compared to quantity-based policy, the age-based policy under first-in-first-transship is recommended as it can reduce the expired rate more efficiently. Under simulation operating scenarios with time-varying demand and supply, we analyzed the sensitivity of parameters, which include expected supply period, shelf life and blood shortage period. Additionally, this study reveals that the transshipment decision will increase the expired ratio and the overstock ratio after blood shortage.     

The social influence of other consumers on consumers’ reward donations

Loyalty reward programs and corporate social responsibility initiatives are ubiquitous in today’s corporate world, yet little is known how they can be synthesized to benefit companies and those in need. In two studies, we examine how the social influence of other consumers (the presence of other consumers and loyalty status tier) interact with reward type (effort-based vs. surprise) to influence consumers’ propensity to donate their loyalty rewards to charity. Furthermore, we uncover the underlying psychological mechanisms (i.e. instrumentality and self-enhancement) explaining the effects. Our findings indicate that hospitality operators should design loyalty reward programs that involve the presence of other consumers to induce reward donations. However, if the goal is to solicit donations from solo consumers, surprise rewards (vs. effort-based rewards) are more effective. In addition, we show that both types of rewards are effective among high-tier consumers, whereas only surprise rewards lead to high donation intent among low status consumers.     

The impact of online financial disclosure and donations in nonprofits

Decreased public confidence and trust in the nonprofit sector has fueled increased calls for transparency. In response, federal regulators and watchdog organizations have recommended that nonprofits voluntarily disclose their financial information on their own public websites. Despite the potential benefits of enhanced public confidence and trust, improved donor decision making, and increased donations, many nonprofit organizations have not adopted the recommended disclosure practices. We investigate the disclosure practices of 3,217 nonprofits and find that voluntary web disclosure of the IRS Form 990 is strongly correlated to donations, independent of other variables such as age, size, and fundraising expenditures. Further, fundraising is also clearly related to the performance indicators shown in the 990 disclosures, particularly the program ratio of program expenditures to total expenditures. This is true on a general level and when specifically compared to other nonprofits within particular sectors. As a result, nonprofits should seriously consider voluntarily posting their Form 990 results on their websites when it reflects favorably and strive to improve their financial performance if online disclosure would reflect poorly on the organization.     

中药三七对血液系统药理药效作用

中药三七作为临床上较为常用的传统中药,其药用价值得到了广泛的肯定,本文通过对相关资料分析、归纳和总结,就中药三七在血液系统方面具有的药理药效作用进行综述,为临床利用中药三七提供参考意见。     

Robust and stable flexible blood supply chain network design under motivational initiatives

To improve the coordination of blood supply and demand, the efficient design of the blood supply chain network (BSCN) is a proper strategy. In this regard, this paper is the first-ever study to strive for a simultaneous investigation on three interdependent challenges of the BSCN: (1) donors motivation, (2) optimizing location and capacity decisions, and (3) controlling the reliability and robustness of the network under combinatorial risk. As in reality, blood donors play a critical role in the BSC; this study undertakes motivational initiatives to encourage blood donors for maintaining sufficient blood supply. Advertisement, education and medical credits are the directions incorporated to construct the motivational function. To observe the efficiency as the most critical factor while evaluating the pool of location alternatives for establishing facilities, an augmented version of data envelopment analysis (DEA) is utilized. In addition, a mixed integer programming model is proposed by which the simultaneous location and capacity decisions are supported. The model is also extended to handle the combinatorial risk of uncertainty as well as disruption. Thus, a novel mixed possibilistic-stochastic flexible robust programming (MPSFRP) is developed. Eventually, the proposed model is implemented in a real case study to assess its practicality and then provide applicable insights for administrators.     

非公有制企业党组织与企业捐赠

与公有制企业党组织受到较多关注不同,非公有制企业党组织是否真正发挥影响力是同样重要但却被学术界忽略的待研究问题。本文基于手工收集的民营上市公司党组织的相关数据,从社会捐赠这一视角研究党组织影响力对其履行社会责任的影响。结果发现:民营上市公司党组织的影响力越大,企业的社会捐赠力度越大,且显著高于同行业和同地区的平均捐赠水平;这种影响力的促进作用在民营上市公司党组织基础更加稳固的企业、管理层对党组织重视程度更高的企业和党代会时期更加明显。上述结果在控制了可能的内生性问题后依然稳健。本文的发现意味着非公有制企业党组织有助于促进其履行社会责任,这有助于评估和促进非公有制企业党组织的建设及其作用的发挥。     

Itemized platelet supply chain with lateral transshipment under uncertainty evaluating inappropriate output in laboratories

Demand uncertainty coupled with the short lifespan of itemized platelets has caused a significant shortage at public therapeutic centers. In this regard, this paper presents a multi-objective robust stochastic mixed integer linear programming model for an integrated platelet supply chain considering unidirectional lateral transshipment between hospitals and clinics. In the proposed model, platelets are divided into typical, irradiated and washed platelets with lifespan differentiated for various types of patients. This model evaluates the risk of inappropriate production by concentrating on three different procedures for extracting platelet, including apheresis, platelet rich plasma and buffy coat methods. In this investigation, staff errors, laboratory hygiene and device failure, as well as donors' blood contamination, are considered for obtaining the function of inappropriate production rate. In our model, the logistics costs are considered as the first objective and the maximum unsatisfied demand as the second objective, both also to be minimized. To tackle demand uncertainty, a robust stochastic approach is then developed. Afterwards, to create a more realistic model, the Monte Carlo sampling approach is used for generating required scenarios. Finally, some managerial insights are provided through a real case study to evaluate the applicability of the presented model. The results indicate that the proposed model not only improves the demand satisfaction but also reduces the risk of itemized platelets wastage.     

Does Vice Make Nice? The Viability and Virtuousness of Charity Lotteries

ABSTRACT

Globally, charities are under increasing pressure to find alternative sources of funding. Although charitable gaming has long been considered a viable source of revenue for charities, opponents of gaming have raised concerns about the potential negative consequences associated with gambling. The current paper examines a unique form of charity gaming–the charity super lottery (CSL)–that offers a number of fund-raising benefits to cash-strapped charities. Results from a preliminary study of CSL ticket buyers suggest that the CSL may be both a virtuous and viable source of fundraising. Interviews revealed that CSL consumers (1) viewed the ticket purchase as a donation rather than gambling, (2) were unlikely to be involved in other forms of gambling, and finally (3) perceived the CSL purchase as a complementary rather than supplementary form of charity support behavior. Implications for the fundraisers of charitable organizations and directions for future research are discussed.     

Toward a coordination of inventory and distribution schedules for blood in disasters

The need for efficient blood supply is of more significance in the event of disasters, when there is a lack of coordination between distribution and inventory management. The recent earthquake in Kermanshah province in Iran is among such cases that confirmed the need for coordinating such schedules. In this respect, a two-stage stochastic programming (SP) approach is presented for planning supply of blood after disasters that can assist in inventory decisions under hybrid uncertainty, minimizing the shortage and wastages. The uncertainty stems from imprecise parameters and scenario variability, and a robust-fuzzy-stochastic programming (RFSP) approach is devised to hedge against the uncertainty. The perishability of blood, the substitutability of blood groups, and the age-based characteristic of blood are taken into account to make the model more reliable. The compromise programming is applied to solve the multi-objective model. The results illustrate that the RFSP model can make a reasonable trade-off between mean value, feasibility robustness, and optimality robustness, which results in a robust and reliable solution under disastrous conditions.