- Kowloon, Hong Kong
Zhilin Yang
City University of Hong Kong, Marketing, Faculty Member
- My main research areas are governance strategies in marketing channels, institutional theory, business network analys... moreMy main research areas are governance strategies in marketing channels, institutional theory, business network analysis, and online service marketing.
I have received University Research Excellence Award and College Research Excellence Award in 2013. My research papers have received such awards as Emerald Citations of Excellence for 2015, IBM Best Paper Award Finalist from Journal of Service Research, 2011; Best Paper Award (Supply Chain Track) from the Decision Science Institution and McGraw-Hill Irwin Distinguished Paper Award; and three Highly Commended Award from Emerald Literati Club (2015, 2013 & 2005). My papers have been widely cited (# of citations was 4,312 from ISI, 6,012 from Scopus, and 15,267 from Google Scholars as of 28/12/2021).
Since joining CityU in 2001, I have published over 100 articles in various decent academic journals, including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Operations Management, and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. In addition, I authored five books.
I have been serving as an Editor-in-Chief of Asian Journal of Business Research, an Associate Editor of European Journal of Marketing, and a member of the editorial board for Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Inter-Organizational Relationships, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, and EsicMarket (Spain), and as a special issue editor for Journal of Business Ethics (2009), Industrial Marketing Management (2010, 2014), Journal of Business Research (2013), International Marketing Review (2020), and International Journal of Emerging Markets (2021). I have served ad hoc reviewers for over 40 journals and conferences.
I have received 40 research grants and served as a principal investigator for 30 grants, including NSFC (China), CERG/GRFs (Hong Kong), and Hong Kong/Germany joint research scheme. Over the years, I have been invited by more than 20 universities to deliver quality seminars.
I have been serving as the founding President of the Chinese Scholar Marketing Association since 2017. I launched the Chinese Marketing International Conference (2013) and China Business Culture and Management Conference (2011). In addition, I have built extensive connections with business communities, especially those in China, by providing business training and consulting services for many Chinese firms and multi-national enterprises.edit - Robin Petersonedit
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Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in females worldwide. Patients with breast cancer and bone metastases may experience increased osteoclast activity, resulting in local bone destruction and skeletal complications, including... more
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in females worldwide. Patients with breast cancer and bone metastases may experience increased osteoclast activity, resulting in local bone destruction and skeletal complications, including pain, hypercalcemia and skeletal-related events. Intravenous bisphosphonates (BPs) are the standard treatment administered to patients with breast cancer and bone metastases to prevent skeletal-related events. However, in certain patients, BPs may cause renal toxicity, acute-phase reactions and osteonecrosis of the jaw. More effective, safer and more tolerable therapies, which prevent bone destruction and skeletal complications, are required in order to improve patient quality of life. Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and neutralizes receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand, which is a key mediator in the pathogenesis of a broad range of skeletal diseases, thereby inhibiting osteoclast function and bone resorption. ...
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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the key convenience dimensions of online shopping, as convenience has been one of the principal motivations underlying customer inclinations to adopt online... more
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the key convenience dimensions of online shopping, as convenience has been one of the principal motivations underlying customer inclinations to adopt online shopping.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first employ in‐depth focus group interviews with online consumers to identify the attributes of online shopping convenience and then develop and validate an instrument of five key dimensions to measure online shopping convenience by analyzing data collected via a Web‐based questionnaire survey.FindingsThe five dimensions of online shopping convenience are: access, search, evaluation, transaction, and possession/post‐purchase convenience.Practical implicationsOnline retailers can employ the five‐factor measurement instrument to assess the degree of customer perceived online shopping convenience. This instrument can assist managers in identifying and overcoming key obstacles to the delivery of a highly convenient online shopping servic...
Research Interests: Marketing, Perception, Consumer Behavior, The Internet, Tourism, and 12 moreShopping, Business and Management, Service management, Online Shopping, Scale Development, Convenience, Electronic Commerce and E ‐business, Consumer Behaviour, Internet, Consumer Preception, E Commerce, and Electronic Commerce
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ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore how relational gatekeepers facilitate the development of relationships between out-group members and in-group members in an intercultural business environment, and to bring to the surface the... more
ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore how relational gatekeepers facilitate the development of relationships between out-group members and in-group members in an intercultural business environment, and to bring to the surface the inter-cultural and inter-networked nuances of guanxi. Based on interviews with managers from China and New Zealand, the workings of Chinese–Western business relationships and the roles of relational gatekeepers are explored. Empirical findings reveal three key gatekeeping roles, namely reciprocal, adaptive and symbolic, used for enabling the development of intercultural business relationships. We offer a structural hole explanation of intercultural gatekeeping in a seemingly contradictory and irreconcilable inter-networked environment. Our study also provides strategic implications of intercultural gatekeeping for foreign outsiders and recommends practical approaches for reaching the decision makers and resource integrators in jealously protected local business networks.
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ABSTRACT The present study validated implicit animosity as a unique determinant of consumer behavior in the context of Chinese animosity toward Japan. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was employed to measure implicit Chinese animosity... more
ABSTRACT The present study validated implicit animosity as a unique determinant of consumer behavior in the context of Chinese animosity toward Japan. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was employed to measure implicit Chinese animosity toward Japan. The results showed that (a) implicit animosity was distinct from consumer ethnocentrism; (b) implicit animosity was significantly correlated with war animosity, but not with economic animosity; and (c) implicit animosity exerted negative impacts on purchase intention, independent of explicit animosity, consumer ethnocentrism, and product judgment. Taken together, these findings provide initial evidence of discriminant, convergent, and predictive validity for implicit animosity, highlighting the impor-tance of taking implicit animosity into account in future animosity research.j asp_911 1..24 Intense global competition has prompted many firms to adopt globaliza-tion as a primary policy goal. Despite its promising opportunities, globaliza-tion also offers great challenges to both domestic and international marketers. For example, cross-country tensions as a result of historical, economic, military, religious, or political conflicts often manifest in the form of animosity. Consequently, consumer animosity may affect consumer pur-chase decisions. As a case in point, an online survey indicated that because of France's opposition to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, 73% of American respondents boycotted French wines, cheeses, and other delicacies, and 53% favored renaming French fries and French toast as "freedom fries" and 1 The project was supported by a grant from Sumimoto Foundation (2005) to Huajian Cai, Xiang Fang, and Zhilin Yang, and a grant from Hundred Talents Program (Y0C2024002) to Huajian Cai.
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Page 1. Retail Sales Campaigns: A Comparison Of Promotion Objectives And Activities Between NZ And Hungary Kim-Shyan Fam, University of Otago, NZ Shun-Cheong Fok & Zhilin Yang, City University of HK, HK Laszlo Jozsa, Szechenyi Istvan... more
Page 1. Retail Sales Campaigns: A Comparison Of Promotion Objectives And Activities Between NZ And Hungary Kim-Shyan Fam, University of Otago, NZ Shun-Cheong Fok & Zhilin Yang, City University of HK, HK Laszlo Jozsa, Szechenyi Istvan University, Hungary Abstract ...
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Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly affected business strategy in emerging markets. To understand how firms should adopt, utilize, integrate, and implement AI to gain a competitive advantage, we posit a conceptual model for... more
Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly affected business strategy in emerging markets. To understand how firms should adopt, utilize, integrate, and implement AI to gain a competitive advantage, we posit a conceptual model for developing AI-driven strategies. By identifying the primary drivers of AI-related institutions, firms can understand the regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive institutions that promote or constrain AI’s influence on their performance. Striving for efficiency while sustaining AI-driven firms’ legitimacy is vital. The posited model suggests several directions for theory development and applications about AI-related strategy in emerging markets. In closing, each article in this special issue is summarized.
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Las opiniones y evaluaciones sobre productos que realizan los clientes en la Red pueden reducir los costes de busqueda de la informacion, proporcionar sugerencias para mejorar tanto el diseno del producto como la calidad del servicio y... more
Las opiniones y evaluaciones sobre productos que realizan los clientes en la Red pueden reducir los costes de busqueda de la informacion, proporcionar sugerencias para mejorar tanto el diseno del producto como la calidad del servicio y aportar ideas sobre la situacion del comercio electronico a los expertos en mercados.
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Purpose-This study aims to explore the overall relationship between a boundary spanner and a partner firm, i.e. boundary spanner closeness to partner firm. Drawing on consumer-service provider relationship literature and the tripartite... more
Purpose-This study aims to explore the overall relationship between a boundary spanner and a partner firm, i.e. boundary spanner closeness to partner firm. Drawing on consumer-service provider relationship literature and the tripartite model of affect-behavior-cognition, the authors identify three key dimensions of such closeness, namely, boundary spanners' relational ties, customer-specific capabilities and accommodative behaviors, and examine their effects on exchange outcomes in turbulent versus stable environments. Design/methodology/approach-The paper examines the effects of three dimensions of boundary spanner closeness on various exchange outcomes (i.e. retailers' cooperation, satisfaction and willingness for investment) using two industries as exemplars, characterized by distinct levels of environmental turbulencethe retailing networks of a major cell phone company and a petroleum company in China. Findings-The results indicate that the three dimensions individually and jointly affect exchange outcomes and the interplay of customer-specific capabilities and relational ties affect exchange outcomes differently across industry turbulence.
Purpose-This study aims to explore the overall relationship between a boundary spanner and a partner firm, i.e. boundary spanner closeness to partner firm. Drawing on consumer-service provider relationship literature and the tripartite... more
Purpose-This study aims to explore the overall relationship between a boundary spanner and a partner firm, i.e. boundary spanner closeness to partner firm. Drawing on consumer-service provider relationship literature and the tripartite model of affect-behavior-cognition, the authors identify three key dimensions of such closeness, namely, boundary spanners' relational ties, customer-specific capabilities and accommodative behaviors, and examine their effects on exchange outcomes in turbulent versus stable environments. Design/methodology/approach-The paper examines the effects of three dimensions of boundary spanner closeness on various exchange outcomes (i.e. retailers' cooperation, satisfaction and willingness for investment) using two industries as exemplars, characterized by distinct levels of environmental turbulencethe retailing networks of a major cell phone company and a petroleum company in China. Findings-The results indicate that the three dimensions individually and jointly affect exchange outcomes and the interplay of customer-specific capabilities and relational ties affect exchange outcomes differently across industry turbulence.
In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provide various artificial autonomy features that allow intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) to assist users in managing the dynamically... more
In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provide various artificial autonomy features that allow intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) to assist users in managing the dynamically expanding applications, devices, and services in their daily lives. However, limited academic research has been done to validate empirically artificial autonomy and its downstream consequences on human behavior. This study investigates the role of artificial autonomy by dividing it into three types of autonomy in terms of task primitives, namely, sensing, thought, and action autonomy. Drawing on mind perception theory, the authors hypothesize that the two fundamental dimensions of humanlike perceptions-competence and warmth-of non-human entities could explain the mechanism between artificial autonomy and IPA usage. Our results reveal that the comparative effects of competence and warmth perception exist when artificial autonomy contributes to users' continuance usage intention. Theoretically, this study increases our understanding of AIenabled artificial autonomy in information systems research. These findings also provide insightful suggestions for practitioners regarding AI artifacts design.
Despite team-based works having been dominant in scientific production, little is known about the relationships between team size and research performance in cross-domain research contexts. Drawn from a collaboration network of 114,577... more
Despite team-based works having been dominant in scientific production, little is known about the relationships between team size and research performance in cross-domain research contexts. Drawn from a collaboration network of 114,577 scholars, we first investigate the relationships between team size and both research productivity and impact. In the first-degree network (i.e., a network that consists of the focal author, the coauthors, and the connections among the nodes), productivity is positively associated with team size, while team size and research impact exhibit an inverted-U shaped relationship. In the second-degree network (i.e., a network that consists of the focal author, the coauthors, the coauthors' coauthors, and the connections among the nodes), both research productivity and impact suggest an inverted-U shaped relationship with the team size of second-degree connections. We also find that research variety exerts a moderating effect on the relationships between team size and research performance. With the increase in research variety, the curvilinear relationship between first-degree team size and research productivity steepens, whereas the inverted-U shaped relationship between first-degree team size and research impact first flattens and then displays a U-shaped relationship. In the second-degree network, team size exerts little influence on research productivity when research variety is extremely small, and such an effect becomes inverted-U shaped when research variety increases. The turning point for the inverted-U shaped relationship between second-degree team size and research impact continues to shift to the left and down as research variety increases.
Opportunism is vital in marketing channel relationships and existing research has identified several influential factors as antecedents of opportunism. Nonetheless, we have little specific knowledge of how manufacturer's influence... more
Opportunism is vital in marketing channel relationships and existing research has identified several influential factors as antecedents of opportunism. Nonetheless, we have little specific knowledge of how manufacturer's influence strategies or how reseller's fairness perception affects reseller's opportunistic behavior. This study examines the independent and interactive effects of influence strategies and fairness perception on the resellers' opportunism tendency. Empirical evidence shows that the manufacturer's use of coercive influence strategy increases the resellers' opportunism tendency whereas manufacturer's use of noncoercive influence strategy reduces it. The results also suggest that distributive and procedural fairness perceptions moderate the relationship between influence strategies and opportunism tendency. In particular, procedural fairness perception strengthens the effect of noncoercive influence on opportunism tendency. Contrary to our hypothesis, distributive fairness worsens the harmful effect of coercive influence on the reseller's opportunism tendency. The latter counterintuitive finding provides directions for future research along with insights for channel management.
Although marketing managers are relying increasingly on customer data, insight into the best approaches for resolving the personalization-privacy paradox remains limited. Specifically, we argue for the success of a personalization... more
Although marketing managers are relying increasingly on customer data, insight into the best approaches for resolving the personalization-privacy paradox remains limited. Specifically, we argue for the success of a personalization involving the integration of two stages: the self-disclosure stage and the personalization stage. Using a conceptual framework grounded in the foot-in-the-door effect, we argue that compliance with commitment to self-disclosure as the initial small request induces greater compliance with the later target request. The results of a large-scale two-stage field experiment based on a combined propensity score matching and difference-indifference model show positive causal effects of the act of self-disclosure and the positive effect of the intensity of self-disclosure on purchase responses to personalized promotions. The results also indicate that a combination of privacy assurance and personalization declaration drives customers' act of self-disclosure and increases the intensity of self-disclosure. Findings empower managers to capitalize on new opportunities in personalization.
Purpose-Augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a novel communication tool, which adds virtual computer-generated information to a viewer's real life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of AR technology on consumers'... more
Purpose-Augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a novel communication tool, which adds virtual computer-generated information to a viewer's real life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of AR technology on consumers' experience. Design/methodology/approach-Four experiments were performed to test the effect of AR-based product display on the consumer's attitude and the underlying mechanism of the effect. Findings-The results have demonstrated that self-referencing reality simulation mediates the effect of AR technology on consumers' product attitude, and the effect is attenuated when the consumers hold quality beliefs rather than taste beliefs or when the product is a luxury brand. Practical implications-The current research suggests that managers should develop and adopt AR technology when presenting their products in front of consumers, which can improve consumers' product attitude. Additionally, emphasizing the taste of target products rather than quality will strengthen the positive effect of AR technology on product attitude. Furthermore, managers of luxury brands should present their products in a traditional way, which induce an exclusive perception rather than using AR technology. Originality/value-This paper investigates the underlying mechanism of how AR technology improves consumers' product attitude and shopping experience, to fill the gap in consumers' unique experience with AR technology. Furthermore, the moderated effect of consumer beliefs and product difference has also been examined in this study, which attributes to the research of product differentiation.
Enhancing compliance among channel members is a core, challenging issue in channel management. Building upon social comparison theory, we argue that distributors' compliance with channel programs may hinge upon their motivation and their... more
Enhancing compliance among channel members is a core, challenging issue in channel management. Building upon social comparison theory, we argue that distributors' compliance with channel programs may hinge upon their motivation and their perceived ability to comply. To enhance distributors' compliance level, manufacturers can proactively model reward events to positively influence observing distributors. Our empirical results from one experiment and one field survey confirm that, if distributors lack motivation to comply with the channel program, manufacturers should model a high-performance distributor as a reward recipient, which enhances observers' compliance through a decrease in perceived financial uncertainty. In contrast, if distributors perceive themselves as having a low ability to comply with the channel program, manufacturers should model a mediocre-performance distributor as the reward recipient, which enhances observers' compliance through an increase in perceived goal attainability.
Purpose-How to determine the appropriate contractual structure for an outsourcing relationship has been a major theme in the business process outsourcing (BPO) literature. Drawing on transaction cost economics, this study aims to examine... more
Purpose-How to determine the appropriate contractual structure for an outsourcing relationship has been a major theme in the business process outsourcing (BPO) literature. Drawing on transaction cost economics, this study aims to examine how anticipated coordination and adaptation costs in a BPO relationship affect the choice of contract types. Specifically, this research categorizes contracts types (fixed-price, time and materials and hybrid contracts) based on levels of contract design comprehensiveness and flexibility to change. Design/methodology/approach-The research setting is the BPO for a focal firm, involving a contractor. Data from 153 US companies are collected using a structured questionnaire on senior executives of functional areas of marketing, IT and finance. Hypotheses were tested using ordered probit model. Findings-The results show that maturity is negatively associated with anticipated adaptation costs, while modularity and IT detachability are negatively related to anticipated coordination costs. Furthermore, adaptation costs have a direct impact on the choice, whereas the anticipated coordination costs do not have a significant direct impact on contract choice. The strength of adaptation costs' impact, however, is significantly reduced when coordination costs are high. Originality/value-This study explicitly examines the role of anticipated coordination and adaptation costs in shaping the strategic choice of contract types in the BPO market. By differentiating the two types of anticipated transaction costs, this research enables a better understanding of the dynamics between transaction characteristics, anticipated transaction costs and contract types in complicated relationships such as BPO relationships.
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of customer participation on role behaviors and customer satisfaction. The mediating role of role stressors is also examined. Design/methodology/approach-Based on literature... more
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of customer participation on role behaviors and customer satisfaction. The mediating role of role stressors is also examined. Design/methodology/approach-Based on literature reviews, a survey of 317 bank customers was conducted in Central China, using a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis to test research hypotheses. Findings-The current work found that the inconsistency between the role expectations from participating customers and service providers would increase the customer perceived role stress. Therefore, customer participating width and depth can affect customer satisfaction in two different ways. On the one hand, role stressors (i.e. role ambiguity and role conflict) in customer participation have a negative effect on customer compliance, decreasing customer satisfaction. On the other hand, role stressors have a positive effect on customer creativity, increasing customer satisfaction. Originality/value-No prior studies, thus far, have examined how customer perceived role stressors in service participation affect customers' role performance and satisfaction in the service process. The current research identifies the characteristics of customer participation from the perspectives of task role set. On the basis of role stressor theory, this research examines the effects of customer participation width and depth on customer satisfaction using customer perceived role stressors as mediating variables. This research also investigates the mixed effect of role stressors on customer satisfaction. It provides empirical support for the role of customers as "co-creators" by distinguishing customers' creative behaviors from customer compliance and finds the positive effect of role stressors on customer satisfaction via customer creativity.
This research examines how and why reactions to other consumers' unethical behavior differ among consumers and vary in different situations. Drawing on construal level theory, the authors propose that the relationship between other... more
This research examines how and why reactions to other consumers' unethical behavior differ among consumers and vary in different situations. Drawing on construal level theory, the authors propose that the relationship between other consumers' unethical behavior and focal consumers' unethical behavior is moderated by focal consumers' construal level, and selfexpressiveness mediates this moderating effect. Specifically, consumers at higher construal levels tend to view their behavior as more self-expressive and are thus less likely to imitate other consumers' unethical behavior. Study 1 indicates that focal consumers who have a chronic tendency to construe information at high levels are less likely to replicate other consumers' unethical behavior than those who have a chronic tendency to construe information at low levels. Studies 2, 3a and 3b show that when primed with higher-level construals, consumers are less likely to follow other consumers' unethical behavior than when primed with lower-level construals. The mediating effect of self-expressiveness was tested and supported in Study 1 and Study 3b. These findings help to better understand consumers' reactions to other consumers' unethical behavior.
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the performance of service innovation (PSI), and the mediating effect of knowledge acquisition. Design/methodology/approach-Drawing... more
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the performance of service innovation (PSI), and the mediating effect of knowledge acquisition. Design/methodology/approach-Drawing on social exchange and knowledge management theories, this paper establishes a relevant conceptual model and adopts a hierarchical regression analysis to examine the model with a data set of 298 firms from China. Findings-CSR positively affects the PSI; however, the effects vary when firms take responsibility for different stakeholders. CSR for the same group of stakeholders influences differently the short-term financial and long-term non-financial PSI, whereas knowledge acquisition mediates the impact of employee and customer CSR on PSI, but not the impact of community CSR on PSI. Practical implications-Managers could improve the PSI of the firm by strategically assuming CSR and by managing corporate knowledge acquisition activities. Originality/value-This study contributes to the service innovation literature by identifying the influence of particular types of CSR on PSI, and by highlighting the influencing mechanism of knowledge acquisition. It extends scholarly understanding of the antecedents of PSI as well as the business returns to CSR.
The essential issue currently challenging marketing managers in the virtual world is: How can a virtual world feature be designed to elevate consumers' purchase of virtual items and usage in the virtual world? Previous scholars have... more
The essential issue currently challenging marketing managers in the virtual world is: How can a virtual world feature be designed to elevate consumers' purchase of virtual items and usage in the virtual world? Previous scholars have investigated the issue and have published their predictions on the individual level. Yet, they have done so without specifically addressing endogeneity or carryover effect among users and their activities. To alleviate this omission and potential methodological bias, we probe the impact of virtual world technological features on two performance criteria at the platform level. In addition, we differentiate two types of users (new vs returning users) and probe their distinct impact on purchase of virtual items and usage patterns in the virtual world. When using data from one virtual world and applying the vector auto regression model, results show that virtual world managers can elevate performance through promotion of both types of users' activities. The effects of these activities, however, are varied. Specifically, for returning users, interactivity leads to a more significant impact on consumers' purchase of virtual goods than sociability, while the opposite effect is applicable to usage in the virtual world. For new users, interactivity is more efficient for promotion of users' purchase of virtual goods than sociability, while the results are the opposite for usage in the virtual world.
debt that the shifting schedules of personal and household debt-which may be sped up, slowed down, delayed, reorganized, or reversed, and which are geared toward payment and the possible-must be understood" (p. 97). These are complicated... more
debt that the shifting schedules of personal and household debt-which may be sped up, slowed down, delayed, reorganized, or reversed, and which are geared toward payment and the possible-must be understood" (p. 97). These are complicated sentences-too self-referential, too opaque, and too abstract-which is a shame, because what Adkins is after is nothing less than the observation that an increasing percentage of household debt is not meant to be paid back but is instead meant to be "managed" by the indebted subject (increasingly women) by incurring new debts, while the debt contract itself has become a securitized asset that generates a steady income stream and is sold on wholesale financial markets. As a specialist in the varieties of financialized capitalism debate with a strong interest in residential mortgage-backed securities, I cannot but wonder whether Adkins has ever actually laid her hands on a 1501 page securitized residential mortgage contract? Does she know which percentage of household debt has been securitized in different political economies? This is not to dismiss the important theoretical contribution that Adkins makes, merely to mourn the fact that there are hardly any empirics in her book. That raises the question what sentences such as the above are supposed to perform. Are they meant to denote, describe, and ultimately explain? Are they supposed to inform readers of the real world, of actual states of affairs? Are they meant to warn and mobilize? Or do they merely serve the purpose of demonstrating membership?
This study aimed to explore suppliers' response strategies to their biggest challenge when they are dealing with brand name manufacturers and uncover the driving forces underlying such strategies. Based on face-to-face interviews with... more
This study aimed to explore suppliers' response strategies to their biggest challenge when they are dealing with brand name manufacturers and uncover the driving forces underlying such strategies. Based on face-to-face interviews with 1075 electronic component suppliers in China, we identified suppliers' biggest challenges and classified their response strategies into these categories: strategic marketing, operations and human resources, and economic. Drawing from the resource-based view of the firm, interorganizational relationship theory, and transaction cost economics, coupled with the results from our in-depth interviews, we argue that the type of supplier response strategies depends on the type of challenge faced as well as various transaction and customer characteristics. Our empirical study demonstrated that these driving forces significantly affect suppliers' strategic responses in different ways. Our study contributes to the literature on brand management in the B2B setting, by investigating how suppliers effectively tackle their biggest challenges from brand name manufacturers to gain competitive advantages.
Prior research on interorganizational trust (IOT) has drawn on multiple theories across disciplines, resulting in mixed findings. This meta-analysis combines the three major theories of IOT, namely, transaction cost economics, social... more
Prior research on interorganizational trust (IOT) has drawn on multiple theories across disciplines, resulting in mixed findings. This meta-analysis combines the three major theories of IOT, namely, transaction cost economics, social embeddedness theory, and resource dependence theory, to retheorize about these IOT relationships. Specifically, we consolidate 168 tests of IOT across theories and corroborate the additive predictive validity of each of the three theories and their combined explanations on IOT development. In particular, by combining IOT theories, we find an inverted U-shaped relationship between relationship duration and IOT; we also find an intertemporal link among the three IOT theories, and relationship duration as the spanning factor functions to moderate the IOT relationships across theories. These findings serve to reconcile prior conflicting findings and shed new light on IOT development. We conclude our meta-analysis by providing directions for future research.
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... 3.1. Adoption of the portal as information and communication media. ... Separating content or information from the delivery system can elucidate the process by which users evaluate service quality of a Web site [37]. 3.2.1.... more
... 3.1. Adoption of the portal as information and communication media. ... Separating content or information from the delivery system can elucidate the process by which users evaluate service quality of a Web site [37]. 3.2.1. Information quality. McKinney et al. ...
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ABSTRACT With the intensified competition and the changing roles of customers from passive purchasers towards active buyers, co-producers, co-creator of customer value and co-developer of core competences of firms, both managers and... more
ABSTRACT With the intensified competition and the changing roles of customers from passive purchasers towards active buyers, co-producers, co-creator of customer value and co-developer of core competences of firms, both managers and scholars tend to view customers as strategic asset. The research addresses three questions: 1) Why are some firms more customer asset oriented than others? 2) What effect does a customer asset orientation have on business performance? 3) Does the linkage between a customer asset orientation and business performance depend on environmental context? The findings based on evidence from China support most of hypotheses proposed in this research
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ABSTRACT Planning ahead has numerous benefits, but many small retailers do not seem to regularly engage in marketing planning. Lack of planning expertise is often documented by researchers. This study attempts to examine whether retailers... more
ABSTRACT Planning ahead has numerous benefits, but many small retailers do not seem to regularly engage in marketing planning. Lack of planning expertise is often documented by researchers. This study attempts to examine whether retailers undertake planning when faced with an uncertain environment. Specifically, our study examines whether small retailers will switch from in-store promotion to outdoor-advertising where the latter has mass audience reach capability and hence the potential to increase market share. The results show mixed financial performance. The study concludes by discussing the implication of the results for small retailers.
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This study seeks to understand how consumers make unethical decisions and how unethical consumer behavior (UCB) is formed in a relational society. By taking a relational interactive perspective and adopting a grounded theory approach, we... more
This study seeks to understand how consumers make unethical decisions and how unethical consumer behavior (UCB) is formed in a relational society. By taking a relational interactive perspective and adopting a grounded theory approach, we have developed a theoretical framework for examining UCB's developmental process in a relational society. The framework reveals 4 levels (i.e., the socio-cultural, individual psychological, situational, and individual behavioral levels) and 12 paths of UCB formation. Importantly, this study finds that UCB in a relational society is influenced by guanxi-oriented social culture so deeply that it cannot be considered the result of a purely individual behavior choice.
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This study examines the effects of organizational learning (explorative and exploitative learning) and guanxi (business and political ties) on business performance. Business guanxi is classified as a channel networking tie, while... more
This study examines the effects of organizational learning (explorative and exploitative learning) and guanxi (business and political ties) on business performance. Business guanxi is classified as a channel networking tie, while political guanxi is categorized as a non-channel networking tie. Based on the experience of 120 Chinese firms, it is found that business guanxi positively moderates the effect of explorative learning on strategic performance. In contrast, though political guanxi positively enhances the effect of exploitative learning on strategic performance, it negatively affects the relationship between explorative learning and strategic performance. This study's outcomes indicate that, when doing business in the emerging economies such as China, only a proper fit between organizational learning and guanxi networking can yield a higher degree, or extent, of strategic performance. This study has implications for marketing managers and research concerning organizational learning, guanxi, business performance and standardization/ customization strategies.
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Why has the incidence of corporate crisis risen markedly in China? Why are foreign firms frequently targeted by the Chinese authorities and how should they deal with it? Addressing these pivotal questions is essential for effective... more
Why has the incidence of corporate crisis risen markedly in China? Why are foreign firms frequently targeted by the Chinese authorities and how should they deal with it? Addressing these pivotal questions is essential for effective management of corporate crisis in the Chinese market. Herein, we describe the background of relevant institutional and market environments in China. Then we introduce three prominent principles deeply rooted in Chinese thinking and business practice–— sentiment, reason, and law–—and pinpoint how they relate to crisis management. Several cases drawn from well-known corporate crises are utilized to illustrate the dynamic relationships among these three fundamental principles. We proceed to highlight the importance of sentiment and emphasize the delicate balance between sentiment and law. Finally, we elaborate how different forms of institutional capital and social media can be employed to manage sentiment, reason, and law so as to curtail and tackle corporate crisis.
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The prevalence of personal connections in China, or guanxi, constitutes an institution that governs how people exchange favors. This study explores the effects of the guanxi institution on interfirm relational ties, information sharing,... more
The prevalence of personal connections in China, or guanxi, constitutes an institution that governs how people exchange favors. This study explores the effects of the guanxi institution on interfirm relational ties, information sharing, and the acquisition of skills across firms. According to social network theory, the marginal benefit of interfirm relational ties on information sharing should decrease with the strength of ties; accord- ing to information overload theory, information sharing should have an inverted U-shaped effect on the acquisition of skills. Institutional theory further suggests that the links across these three constructs are subject to the influence of the guanxi institution. With data collected from 338 man- ufacturing companies, this study shows that the links differ across envi- ronments that have strong versus weak guanxi institutions. A strong guanxi institution generally promotes information sharing and skill acqui- sition, but it also has a dark side.
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Institutional environments exert significant effects on organizational behavior, structure, strategy, governance, and process. To gain competitive advantage, managers are striving for legitimacy while maintaining efficiency. In line with... more
Institutional environments exert significant effects on organizational behavior, structure, strategy, governance, and process. To gain competitive advantage, managers are striving for legitimacy while maintaining efficiency. In line with this thinking, we propose the developmental process of institution-driven and legitimacy- embedded efficiency, and emphasize the confluence of legitimacy and efficiency in the context of business mar- keting. We then highlight several promising directions for further research on the development of institutional theory and its application in business marketing. Finally, we present a brief summary of each paper in this special issue.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address two essential questions: do perceptual differences regarding dependence matter in determining channel performance, and if so, how? Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducted an... more
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address two essential questions: do perceptual differences regarding dependence matter in determining channel performance, and if so, how? Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducted an empirical study of 347 cellular telephone supplier-retailer dyads in China. A questionnaire survey was employed.
Findings – The results reveal that a retailer’s perceptual difference of dependence exerts a significant effect on its evaluation of supplier performance only. Retailer trust partially mediates the effect of the perceptual differences on supplier performance and retailer performance. Therefore, the particular side of a dyadic relationship that researchers choose to study matters in an unbalanced dependence relationship.
Practical implications – Managers, depending on their side, should pay close attention to perceptual differences and their consequences and deliberately employ different strategies to ensure effective channel management. Originality/value – Do differences in parties’ perceptions of dependence influence channel performance? If they do, how do these perceived differences exert direct and indirect impacts? By answering these questions, the authors contribute not only to an understanding of the unique nature of dyadic channel relationships but also to methodological notions about whether to study one side in a dyad.
Findings – The results reveal that a retailer’s perceptual difference of dependence exerts a significant effect on its evaluation of supplier performance only. Retailer trust partially mediates the effect of the perceptual differences on supplier performance and retailer performance. Therefore, the particular side of a dyadic relationship that researchers choose to study matters in an unbalanced dependence relationship.
Practical implications – Managers, depending on their side, should pay close attention to perceptual differences and their consequences and deliberately employ different strategies to ensure effective channel management. Originality/value – Do differences in parties’ perceptions of dependence influence channel performance? If they do, how do these perceived differences exert direct and indirect impacts? By answering these questions, the authors contribute not only to an understanding of the unique nature of dyadic channel relationships but also to methodological notions about whether to study one side in a dyad.