The theoretical and empirical literature to date has fallen short of reaching a consensus as to whether granting more managerial discretion to managers tends to enhance, not alteror diminish organizational performance (the discretion puzzle). This book aims to build a bridge between these contradictory results by synthesising principal-agent theory, stewardship theory, and managerial discretion theory into a new empirically-validated model. Using a representative sample of 'double-blind' interviews with managers of 467 firms in China and applying partial least squares path modelling (PLS), the study identifies a potential cause of the discretion puzzle: the failure of the extant literature to account for granularity in the way that managers use their discretion. This generates far-reaching implications for theoretical and empirical research as well as practical recommendations for managing managers in multinationals and Chinese companies."

This book presents a collection of interrelated research advances in the field of technological entrepreneurship from the perspective of competition in emerging markets. Featuring contributions by scholars from different fields of interest, it provides a mix of theoretical developments, insights and research methods used to uncover the unexplored aspects of competitiveness in emerging markets in an age characterized by disruptive technologies.

This book takes readers on a unique journey across some of the most debated implications of the rise of the Chinese economy on the global scene. From the analysis, suggestions emerge on how to improve statistical tools to measure performance and to obtain more precise macroeconomic forecasts. Moreover, it confirms the suspicion that a governance model of firms that does not sufficiently encourage market competition may have significant costs in terms ofefficiency for the Chinese production system. The analysis of demographic factors and of household savings gives further support to calls for a serious reform effort, particularly of the pension and health care systems, to utilize households' savings more efficiently and equitably. Finally the analyses of Chinese and global trade underscore the need for a less superficial consideration of the implications of the Chinese presence in global markets.
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Retailing and consumer patronage behavior constitute fascinating research areas within the field of marketing. Retailing contributes to an increasing proportion of gross national products and employment but is, however, also faced with problems and opportunities like increased product complexity, rapidly changing consumer expectations, and the introduction of new technologies. Also, consumers are facing markets of increasingly complexity when making decisions on how to conduct their behavior, primarily as a result of new technologies, shorter products life cycles in general, and higher complexity of products and services. In this book, we present and deal with various topics in relation to retailing and consumer patronage behavior. Together, these topics involve different problem settings and draw on different theories, models and statistical techniques. However, it is common to all the results presented in the following chapters (with the exception of chapter II) that they, in total or in part, rest on a major survey, which was conducted by the authors in 1999. Our now retired colleague, Hans Engstrom participated in preparing this survey and did a great job in providing research ideas. For this, and for many stimulating discussions, we are highly grateful."

This book examines the globalisation of technology and innovation in the modern world. Enterprises globalise in several ways, e.g. by exporting, sourcing components and materials from other countries (B2B commerce), outsourcing, licensing their technologies and production, and foreign direct investments (FDI). Transaction costs and location advantages play a crucial role in selecting the best mode of globalisation. A number of important questions - like what are the pull and push factors contributing to FDI, does outward FDI from a developing country like India contribute to participation in international production networks, and does FDI mitigate business cycle co-movements - keep cropping up in the growing body of knowledge on the globalisation of technology. This book addresses these issues, as well as the consequences of FDI - in particular, with regard to technology, productivity, and R&D spillovers. Issues related to innovations, R&D, intra-industry trade, and knowledge management are also discussed.

In the 16th Edition of "Advances in Econometrics", we present twelve papers discussing the current interface between Marketing and Econometrics. The authors are leading scholars in the fields and introduce the latest models for analysing marketing data. The papers are representative of the types of problems and methods that are used within the field of marketing. Marketing focuses on the interaction between the firm and the consumer. Economics encompasses this interaction as well as many others. Economics, along with psychology and sociology, provides a theoretical foundation for marketing. Given the applied nature of marketing research, measurement and quantitative issues arise frequently. Quantitative marketing tends to rely heavily upon statistics and econometrics. However, quantitative marketing can place a different emphasis upon the problem than econometrics, even when using the same techniques. A basic difference between quantitative marketing research and econometrics tends to be the pragmatism that is found in many marketing studies. Another important motivating factor in marketing research is the type of data that is available. Applied econometrics tends to rely heavily on data collected by governmental organizations. In contrast, marketing often uses data collected by private firms or marketing research firms. Observational and survey data are quite similar to those used in econometrics. However, the remaining types of data, panel and transactional, can look quite different from what may be familiar to econometricians. The automation and computerization of much of the sales transaction process leaves an audit trail that results in huge quantities of data. A popular area of study is the use of scanner data collected at the checkout stand using bar code readers. Methods that work for small data sets may not work well in these larger data sets. In addition, new sources of data, such as clickstream data from a web site, will offer new challenges. This volume addresses these and related issues.

This volume describes the most salient changes faced by key Chinese industry sectors as defining components of global and domestic macroeconomic performance. Set within the context of the Global China 2049 initiative, which aims to transform the country into a fully advanced and developed nation, chapters focus specifically on industrial policies that are considered to be one of the main determinants of Chinese growth. Covering sectors such as healthcare, aerospace, microprocessors and other data driven industries, chapters highlight the pitfalls and anticipated successes of Chinese firms operating in the global competitive market. Importantly, the book fosters debate on how Chinese industries will achieve competitive growth in the post-pandemic era. Ultimately the book discusses the likelihood of China achieving a leading position in terms of processes and innovation and suggests a road to future research on China's industrial trajectory. Francesca Spigarelli is Associate Professor of Applied Economics, at the University of Macerata and Director of the China Center. She is Vice Rector for Entrepreneurship and Technological Transfer and for European research policy and is member of the board of Chinese Globalization Association (www.chinagoesglobal.org). John McIntyre has been Director of the Georgia Tech Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), a national center of excellence, since 1993 and a full Professor of International Business Management and International Relations with joint appointments in the College of Management and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.

Provides postgraduate students, sales and marketing managers with theories and best practices to quantify the value of their products; Road-tests quantitative methodology through a wide variety of real-life industrial cases, showing how it can be used in a variety of situations. Case studies included in the first edition were recognised as Winner of the Overall Case Award 2014 and The Case Centre best-selling case 2013 - 2017; Fully updated new edition, including three new chapters, new case studies and online resources; Edited by two professionals at the forefront of cutting-edge practice and with academic rigor

Hardbound. The book presents the most recent developments in international industrial and service marketing research, from a relationship and network perspective. While the latter perspective has a long tradition in Europe, relationship marketing has also in recent years become one of the dominant approaches in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, the schools of thought on relationships and networks emerging from different marketing traditions examine different concepts, use different methods and arrive at different outcomes, all of which are reflected here.

Marketing to the 90s Generation is based on original research conducted by sociologists and psychologists on generational cohorts, how they come about, what defines them and what it means to society, its institutions and companies.

This book offers new insights into the complex set of activities and decisions of product innovation management. It provides concepts, methods, and tools that can help accelerate the introduction of successful products to the market in an increasingly competitive and changing business landscape. It also offers examples and case studies, and it is the result of more than 20 years of study, research, and consulting carried out by the two authors in the field of innovation management. The book discusses the demanding challenges of product innovation and offers practitioners guidance on how to respond to these challenges. It presents a three-level framework (the "innovation pyramid"), which reflects the core components of a firm's innovation capability: first, intelligence - absorbing information and knowledge from the outside world by looking beyond the familiar territories of the current market, technology, and customers; second, discovery - exploring opportunities for innovation through creative ideation and technology experimentation; and third, development - transforming opportunities into profitable new products and services.

In the world of economics and business, engaging with loyal customers while also seeking out new, potential customers is a must. With the recent advancements of social media technology, these operations have increased the need for more developed methods to mesh consumer-business relationships and retention. The Handbook of Research on Retailing Techniques for Optimal Consumer Engagement and Experiences is a thought-provoking reference source that provides vital insight into the application of present-day customer relationship management within the retail industry. While highlighting topics such as digital communication, e-retailing, and social media marketing, this publication explores in-depth merchandiser knowledge as well as the methods behind positive retailer-consumer relationships. This book is ideally designed for managers, executives, CEOs, sales professionals, marketers, advertisers, brand managers, retail experts, academicians, researchers, and students.

The customer orientation philosophy of modern business organizations and the implementation of the main principles of continuous improvement, justifies the importance of evaluating and analyzing cust omer satisfaction. In fact, customer satisfaction isconsidere d today as a baseline standard of performance and a possi ble standardo f excellence forany business organization. Extensive research has defined several alternative approaches, which examine the customer satisfaction evaluation prob lem from very different perspectives. These approaches include simple quantitative tools, statistical and data analysis techniques, consumer behavioral models, etc. and adopt the following main prin ciples: * The data of the problem are based on th e customers' judgments and are directly collected from them. * This is a multivariate evaluation problem given that customer's overall satisfac tion depends on a setof variables representing product/service characteristic dimensions. * Usually, an additive formula is used in order to aggregate partial evaluations in ano verall satisfaction measure. Many of the aforementioned approaches don ot consider the qualitative form of customers' judgments, although this information constitutes the main satisfaction input data. Furthermore, insev eral cases , the measurements are not sufficient enough to analyze in detail customer sa tisfaction because models' results are mainly focused on a simple descriptive analysis.

Sales forecasting and market analysis are the cornerstones of the planning process. Yet, these two tasks are usually performed by people with only limited training in either area because most firms do not have full-time forecasters/market analysts. The authors acknowledge this situation and attempt to describe the key techniques for forecasting sales and analyzing markets in a format that meets the needs of an audience with limited quantitative skills. In addition to its basic approach, another strength of this book is that it combines the coverage of two key activities--forecasting and market analysis--that are performed by the same person in most middle-sized (and smaller) firms.

The book's contents and format were designed with two audiences in mind: persons assigned to develop forecasts and market analyses, but who are not specialists in either area, and persons who will be incorporating these results in their planning and decision making. The major portion of the book is devoted to the three basic categories of forecasting models--time series, causal, and judgmental--emphasizing the most widely used models in each category. Special attention is also given to the sources for obtaining the data needed to make forecasts and analyze markets. The latter part of the book describes procedures for developing market and sales potentials, methods for segmenting markets, and some analytic techniques such as conjoint analysis and cluster analysis, gaining increased usage among market analysts.

This book critically examines marketization: a phenomenon by which market processes are institutionalized and marketing increasingly pervades all areas of our everyday life. It presents a number of theories, frameworks and empirical studies highlighting how the phenomenon of marketization affects the 21st century consumer. The book also contests the traditional understanding of markets, offering a more comprehensive treatment of marketization and a fresh perspective on the dynamics of markets and the institutions that control everyday consumption practices. This book is an ideal resource for academics, reflective practitioners and policy-makers interested in formulating appropriate change strategies in the face of the globalization that affects emerging markets so profoundly. This well-crafted research book is a valuable addition to the sparse literature on theories of marketization. The authors refigure the existing theories more broadly and present compelling evidence and insights into market phenomenon such as marginality, alternative market forms and consumer identity.

This book analyzes the rise of China's naval power and its possible strategic consequences from a wide variety of perspectives - technological, economic, and geostrategic - while employing a historical-comparative approach throughout. Since naval development requires huge financial resources and mostly takes place within the context of transnational industrial partnerships, this study also consciously adopts an industry perspective. The systemic problems involved in warship production and the associated material, financial, technological, and political requirements currently remain overlooked aspects in the case of China. Drawing on first-hand working experience in the naval shipbuilding industry, the author provides transparent criteria for the evaluation of different naval technologies' strategic value, which other researchers can draw upon as a basis for further research in such diverse fields as International Security Studies, Naval Warfare Studies, Chinese Studies, and International Relations.

Web Systems Design and Online Consumer Behavior takes and interdisciplinary approach toward systems design in the online environment by providing an understanding of how consumers behave while shopping online and how certain system design elements may impact consumers' perceptions, attitude, intentions, and actual behavior. This book contains theoretical and empirical research from expert scholars in a number of areas including communications, psychology, marketing and advertising, and information systems. This book provides an integrated look at the subject area as described above to further our understanding of the linkage among various disciplines inherently connected with one another in electronic commerce.

• First book that considers research methods within the luxury context. • Each aspect is supported by real-life case studies and examples from international luxury brands. • Pedagogy to aid learning is integrated throughout, including review challenges and problem-solving exercises. • Supplemented by online resources, including chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides.

From Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times bestselling author Robert Shiller, a groundbreaking account of how stories help drive economic events-and why financial panics can spread like epidemic viruses Stories people tell-about financial confidence or panic, housing booms, or Bitcoin-can go viral and powerfully affect economies, but such narratives have traditionally been ignored in economics and finance because they seem anecdotal and unscientific. In this groundbreaking book, Robert Shiller explains why we ignore these stories at our peril-and how we can begin to take them seriously. Using a rich array of examples and data, Shiller argues that studying popular stories that influence individual and collective economic behavior-what he calls "narrative economics"-may vastly improve our ability to predict, prepare for, and lessen the damage of financial crises and other major economic events. The result is nothing less than a new way to think about the economy, economic change, and economics. In a new preface, Shiller reflects on some of the challenges facing narrative economics, discusses the connection between disease epidemics and economic epidemics, and suggests why epidemiology may hold lessons for fighting economic contagions.

This book focuses on the development of strategies for the successful internationalization of large and medium-sized companies. Becoming international offers important opportunities for companies of all sizes, but in an increasingly complex environment, the strategic planning involved is also a challenge. The book addresses this, putting forward suggestions that allow large and medium-sized companies to profit from internationalization. After a comprehensive introduction to internationalization and strategic planning, the authors make clear recommendations, suggesting detailed processes for developing international strategies. The book distinguishes between going global for new markets and internationalizing production and sourcing. For both, the book proposes procedures for performing meaningful strategic analyses and for developing successful international strategies. Lastly, it highlights the challenges faced by international companies and discusses useful decision processes. The book offers valuable insights for company executives, participants in Executive MBA programs, and master's students.

The Arab World Edition of this well respected marketing text provides excellent coverage of theoretical aspects of the discipline and their application to the realities of the business world - preparing local students of marketing for success in the workforce, either in the Arab world or beyond. With detailed attention given to the region's most prominent industries, and in-depth analysis of the socio-economic factors that impact marketing research in this part of the world, this text is essential for anyone wanting a firm understanding of successful marketing research in the Arab region.