Chinese Shoes Research Articles

Mechanism for regional expansion and chain management of the Chinese shoe chain: A case study on the Yearcon Company in Shandong province

Mechanism for regional expansion and chain management of the Chinese shoe chain: A case study on the Yearcon Company in Shandong province

The Mechanism for Regional Expansion and Chain Store Control of Company A: A Case Study on the Chinese Shoe Chain in Shandong Province

The Mechanism for Regional Expansion and Chain Store Control of Company A: A Case Study on the Chinese Shoe Chain in Shandong Province

Evidence for non-linear metabolism at low benzene exposures? A reanalysis of data

The presence of a high-affinity metabolic pathway for low level benzene exposures of less than one part per million (ppm) has been proposed although a pathway has not been identified. The variation of metabolite molar fractions with increasing air benzene concentrations was suggested as evidence of significantly more efficient benzene metabolism at concentrations <0.1 ppm The evidence for this pathway is predicated on a rich data set from a study of Chinese shoe workers exposed to a wide range of benzene concentrations (not just “low level”). In this work we undertake a further independent re-analysis of this data with a focus on the evidence for an increase in the rate of metabolism of benzene exposures of less than 1 ppm.The analysis dataset consisted of measurements of benzene and toluene from personal air samplers, and measurements of unmetabolised benzene and toluene and five metabolites (phenol hydroquinone, catechol, trans, trans-muconic acid and s-phenylmercapturic acid) from post-shift urine samples for 213 workers with an occupational exposure to benzene (and toluene) and 139 controls. Measurements from control subjects were used to estimate metabolite concentrations resulting from non-occupational sources, including environmental sources of benzene. Data from occupationally exposed subjects were used to estimate metabolite concentrations as a function of benzene exposure. Correction for background (environmental exposure) sources of metabolites was achieved through a comparison of geometric means in occupationally exposed and control populations. The molar fractions of the five metabolites as a function of benzene exposure were computed.A supra-linear relationship between metabolite concentrations and benzene exposure was observed over the range 0.1–10 ppm benzene, however over the range benzene exposures of between 0.1 and 1 ppm only a modest departure from linearity was observed. The molar fractions estimated in this work were near constant over the range 0.1–10 ppm. No evidence of high affinity metabolism at these low level exposures was observed. Our reanalysis brings in to question the appropriateness of the dataset for commenting on low dose exposures and the use of a purely statistical approach to the analysis.

Toronto Museums Span Gamut From Head to Toe

Whether you are of a mind to visit an exhibit that documents a Jewish photographer’s view of a World War II Polish ghetto or one that shows how shoes reflect culture and history, Toronto’s museums are bound to enlighten.

Counterfeiters: Foes or Friends? How Counterfeits Affect Sales by Product Quality Tier

A key concern about counterfeits and weak intellectual property protection is that they may hamper innovation by displacing legitimate sales. This paper combines a natural policy experiment with randomized lab experiments to estimate the heterogeneous impacts of counterfeiting on the sales and consumer purchase intent related to branded products of various quality levels. I collect new product-line-level panel data (1993–2004) on Chinese shoe companies. I identify heterogeneous effects of counterfeit entry on sales of authentic products of three quality tiers, finding that counterfeits have both advertising effects for a brand and substitution effects for authentic products, additionally the effects linger for some years. The advertising effect dominates the substitution effect for high-end authentic product sales, and the substitution effect outweighs the advertising effect for low-end product sales. The positive effect of counterfeits is most pronounced for high-fashion products (such as women's high-leg boots and dress shoes), shoes tailored to young customers, and high-end products of brands not yet well-known at the time of counterfeiter entry.This paper was accepted by David Hsu, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Brand Management and Strategies Against Counterfeits

In this paper, I provide a theory for brand‐protection strategies to reduce counterfeiting under weak intellectual property rights. My theoretical framework has general implications for endogenous sunk cost investments as a means of deterring counterfeiters. My model incorporates two layers of asymmetric information that counterfeits can incur: counterfeiters fooling consumers and buyers of counterfeits fooling other consumers. Brands have a number of tools at their disposal to maintain a separating equilibrium in the face of counterfeits. One of the theoretical predictions of this study is that counterfeit entry induces incumbent brands to introduce new products. This helps to explain the innovation strategies that authentic firms employ in response to entry by counterfeiters in practice. Authentic prices rise if and only if the counterfeit quality is lower than a threshold level. In addition, the model demonstrates how authentic producers could invest in self‐enforcement to increase counterfeiters' incentives to separate themselves from brands. Better channel management through company stores and other costly devices are forms of nonprice signals and complement a company's own enforcements against counterfeits. These predictions are validated using unique panel data collected from Chinese shoe companies covering the years 1993–2004. Data further reveal that companies with worse relationships with the government invest more in various self‐enforcement strategies, which are effective in reducing counterfeit sales, and that the set of strategies are complements rather than substitutes for each other.

An Exploration into the Successful Development of the Leather‐Shoe Industry in Ethiopia

AbstractThe leather‐shoe industry in Ethiopia is thriving, and in the early 2000s it managed to recover the domestic market which had once been swept by imported Chinese shoes. Using primary enterprise‐level data, this paper finds that the industry has been growing not only because of a number of new entrants but also because of the growth of enterprises that have been improving product quality and developing new marketing systems. Such multifaceted improvements have been introduced by highly educated entrepreneurs, who have successfully expanded the size of their enterprises. This development pattern is similar to that commonly found in East Asia.

Impacts of Entry by Counterfeiters*

This paper uses a natural experiment to test the impact of counterfeiting under weak intellectual property rights. I collect new panel data from Chinese shoe companies from 1993–2004. By exploiting the discontinuity of government enforcement efforts for the footwear sector in 1995 and the differences in authentic companies' relationships with the government, I identify and measure the effects of counterfeit entry on authentic prices, qualities, and other market outcomes. The results show that brands with less government protection differentiate their products through innovation, self-enforcement, vertical integration of downstream retailers, and subtle high-price signals. These strategies push up authentic prices and are effective in reducing counterfeit sales.

Impacts of Chinese imports and coping strategies of local producers: the case of small-scale footwear enterprises in Ethiopia

ABSTRACTThe footwear sector in Ethiopia is dominated by cheap imports from Asia, particularly from China. This has inflicted heavy impacts on the sector, and threatened its competitiveness in the domestic market. This study examines the impact of imports and coping strategies of firms to withstand the competition. Firm level data were gathered from micro, small and medium footwear enterprises. The findings revealed that Chinese shoes are superior in design, price and quality, with the result that they have taken over the domestic market. The impact of Chinese imports on local producers varied from downsizing, bankruptcy, loss of assets and property, to downgrading activities and informalising operations. Firms have pursued coping strategies that focused on improving design and quality, as well as lowering prices and profit margins. Coping strategies appear to be differentiated by size of firms, and have some association with the performance of firms. The ways forward for local producers should focus on collaborative engagements of stakeholders and government to overcome the competitive disadvantages of firms. Training, technology, quality control, benchmarking and reorganization of production should be designed as a package of intervention. In addition, strengthening local producers to engage in collective actions and promoting exports should also be given proper attention.

Impacts of Entry by Counterfeiters

In this paper, I use a natural experiment to test the impacts of counterfeiting under weak intellectual property rights. I collect new panel data from Chinese shoe companies from 1993-2004. Exploiting the discontinuity of government enforcement efforts for the footwear sector in 1995 and the differences in authentic companies' relationships with the government, I identify and measure the effects of counterfeit entry on authentic prices, qualities, and other market outcomes. The empirical results are explained and generalized by my theoretical framework. First, low-quality counterfeit entrants induce authentic producers to both upgrade product quality and invest in self-enforcement. Second, vertical integration and other costly devices are used for signaling and complementing a company's own enforcements against counterfeits. Third, all these strategies push up authentic prices and are effective in reducing counterfeit sales.

Best foot forward

Findings – Since the quotas on Chinese shoes were lifted in January 2005, China now has a 25 percent share of the EU market compared with 6 percent four years ago. While the EU Commission is reviewing “trade options”, including the setting of minimum import prices to support the industry, the industry itself is now looking to increased R&D efforts. However, now the focus is not just on product, but finding ways to maximise the opportunities to develop and sell innovative products, improve service to the market and minimise production costs.

Mosaic Disease of Chinese Shoe Flower ( Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.)

Summary A virus disease on Chinese shoe flower, hitherto not reported, has been described. It is transmitted by grafting and causes systemic infection only on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis . Diseased leaf expiants produced loose white calli on MS medium. The virus is designated “Chinese shoe flower mosaic virus”.