Contract Theory Research Articles

Information Disclosure of Electronic Commerce in Vietnam: Expectancy and Social Contract Theory Perspectives

This study investigates the sequential relationships among motivations for online information disclosure, willingness to disclose and purchase behaviours on e-commerce platforms. The expectancy theory of motivation and social contract theory provide the theoretical basis, interpreting how anticipated disclosure outcomes and perceived fairness in the exchange process impact willingness to disclose and subsequent purchase decisions. This study employed a quantitative research approach with three sampling methods (e.g., purposive sampling, quota sampling and snowball sampling). The mass survey was distributed to students from five universities located in Ho Chi Minh city and Ha Noi capital, the two largest e-commerce markets in Vietnam. There were 695 valid cases used for theoretical estimation by using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Three driven forces of information disclosure were identified (e.g., flow experience, perceived information relevance and trust in platform), while the perceived Internet competency negatively impacts willingness to disclose. In turn, willingness to disclose had a significantly positive impact on online purchase behaviour. The study suggests that the behavioural and contextual factors causing online disclosure should be interpreted to design effective disclosure regulations and norms. It’s crucial for business providers to promote a sense of fairness and build strong customer relationships to enhance user decision-making.

On Some Problems of Rawls' Solution of Objective Contractualism

“A Theory of Justice” is one of the most influential works of political and practical philosophy of the 20th century. In the context of the escalating Cold War, John Rawls aimed to offer an alternative to the utilitarian approach to resolving ethical questions in the civil-political discourse. In his work, Rawls proposes to model the theory of a fair social contract in such a way that it is based on the neutral positions of individuals, while their decisions should be based on rationalism and the deontological principle of equal and inviolable human rights. This study analyses selected problematic aspects of Rawls's theory, which show certain inconsistencies with the author's claims. To achieve this, the primary source of information will be the original work “A Theory of Justice” or its translated versions. Furthermore, the method of critical analysis and synthesis will be employed. The study concludes that despite some pitfalls in Rawls's concept, the author’s theory remains one of the most relevant theories of political and practical philosophy.

Analyzing IFRS 7 requirements for disclosure of information about financial risks in financial statements and analysis of disclosure practices. Part 2

Subject. The article considers the practice of disclosing information about financial risks in the annual consolidated financial statements of the largest companies in the world and Russia, in terms of capitalization. Objectives. The aim is to disclose information on types of financial instruments that have a significant impact on the financial activities of the organization; to reflect the nature and extent of risks faced by organization when operating in the financial market, and the impact of financial instruments on these risks. Methods. The methodological basis of the study rests on the institutional theory of contracts, the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting that for the first time recognized the need to reflect contractual rights and obligations in reporting as an object of accounting and analysis, which became the theoretical basis for generating information about reporting of derivatives in financial statements when analyzing risks and minimizing them when using derivatives. Results. We assumed that to sufficiently and adequately meet the requirements of IFRS 7 in terms of disclosure of information about risks inherent in a business, heads of any organization should carry out a number of events outlined in the article. Conclusions. The analysis of financial risks, their nature, and the degree of influence on the financial position of the reporting organization can significantly increase the transparency of financial statements for external stakeholders, strengthen their trust in the management of the organization and, as a result, contributes to making more balanced and responsible investment decisions.

Working around unpredictable clocks: Examining the impact of last-minute schedule changes on perceived contract breach and job performance

This article explores the effects of an unpredictable work scheduling practice: last-minute schedule changes. We examine the effects of two forms of last-minute schedule changes—unexpected additions or reductions to one’s work schedule—on employee reactions. More specifically, drawing from psychological contract theory, we argue that experiencing more last-minute work schedule changes precipitates psychological contract breach and, in turn, influences employee job performance. Furthermore, we model the opportunity to offer input into schedule change requests as a moderator that buffers negative reactions to last-minute schedule changes. Results of a three-wave field study suggest that last-minute hour additions, but not hour reductions, increase employees’ breach perceptions of psychological contracts related to work schedules and, in turn, result in a decrease in task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors and an increase in counterproductive work behaviors. The indirect effects become weaker when employees are offered the opportunity to provide input into schedule changes. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Effective Contract in the Sphere of Higher Education in the Russian Federation

The relevance of the research topic. The effective contract system is a crucial tool for developing the university’s human capital. An effective contract is a contract that includes a clear system of indicators, the achievement of which will serve as the basis for calculating incentive payments to employees, thereby driving the growth and development of the university’s activities. Moreover, it can reduce the transaction costs that arise when coordinating the interests of stakeholders and improve the efficiency of work processes within the organization. The method of the research is based on the scientific works of domestic and international scholars and practitioners in the fields of institutional and market economics, economic theory, and contract theory. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the author’s proposed definition of transaction costs in the context of higher education, and the attempt to justify the use of an effective contract system to minimize them. Research findings: The author provides a theoretical overview of the definitions of the concept of transaction costs, considering the types and characteristics of such costs in relation to higher education. Practical significance: The article may be beneficial for university administrators in making managerial decisions, as well as for researchers and economists working with transaction costs. The research aims to develop theoretical frameworks in the field of regulating social and labor relations in higher education.

Navigating ethical dimensions in algorithmic radiology: A call for action to ensure representation of low-resource contexts

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised medicine, particularly radiology, transforming our ability to interpret complex imaging data. While traditional methods rely on subjective visual assessments, AI excels at recognising intricate patterns and providing quantitative and automated evaluations. In this commentary, I delve into the various ethical considerations in algorithmic radiology, beyond the conventional concerns. Focusing on utilitarianism, patient understanding, virtue ethics, and social contract theory, the paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the ethical landscape surrounding AI technologies. The challenges in the use of algorithmic AI in radiology underscore the significance of the ethics of care, responsiveness to context, and the role of human emotion, whether pertaining to the practitioner, the patient, or both. The social contract theory guides the responsibilities of healthcare professionals, urging action to address biases in AI algorithms and ensuring equitable representation of various ethnic and racial populations. Diversity in data must be prioritised to avoid disparities in administering healthcare and uphold patient rights in the adoption of AI. In terms of virtue ethics, professionalism and responsibility are crucial for radiologists adopting AI. Also, an absence of explicit guidelines on the use of AI in healthcare poses challenges, necessitating further discourse. Finally, a utilitarian perspective on public health mandates a fair distribution of imaging technologies to address prevalent health issues in a given population. In conclusion, this paper advocates for an ethical approach to AI integration, which aligns technology with human values and wellbeing, as we shape the future of healthcare.

Implementation of Akad al-Ijarah al-Maushufah fi al Dzimah in Indent Home Ownership Financing Products (PPR

Indonesia has a lot of practices in the community in the form of renting or renting, but in the implementation of the mechanism still uses ordering the benefits of goods or services based on agreed specifications (rental inden). If the legal basis governing IMFZ is salam, then the payment of ujrah must be made in cash at the time of the contract, while if the legal basis governing IMFŻ is ijārah, then the payment of ujrah can be made in installments or deferred like other ijarah contracts. Although the new contract model is an innovative step, it still raises polemics and questions. The reason is, in terms of ujrah payment itself, the scholars of the Imam Madzhab still differ whether it is based on a salam contract or based on an ijarah contract. Not to mention in terms of positive law applicable in Indonesia, whether it is appropriate or even overlaps. Departing from the above problems, it is very important to conduct a comprehensive study of the MUI fatwa regarding the al-ijārah al-mausufah fi al-zimmah contract. Therefore, the author is interested in researching and analyzing how the IMFZ contract fatwa conforms to the contract theory in the perspective of Islamic law and the perspective of Indonesian positive law. This research is expected to be a material consideration as well as an evaluation material for Islamic law regulators in issuing new laws, especially fatwas issued by DSN-MUI. So as to produce quality legal products as well as maslahat for the people. This research uses library research methodology with the references obtained are normative.

Research on Corporate Innovation and Compensation Incentives

The optimal contract theory believes that the compensation contract can alleviate the agency contradiction between executives and shareholders. By making the interest goals of executives and shareholders converge, it can enhance the innovation willingness of senior executives to a certain extent, increase the innovation investment of enterprises, and then improve the performance of the company. However, the increase of investment in innovation will not necessarily improve the companys performance, and there may be an endogenous relationship between the two factors, which further complicates the issue of compensation incentive. This article sorts out the relevant literature on enterprise innovation and salary incentive, and discusses the relationship between salary incentive and enterprise innovation and its influence on the endogenous relationship between enterprise innovation and company performance. In addition, the possible influence of executive attachment characteristics on compensation incentive is also discussed.

Research on the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility, R&D Investment and Financial Performance

In recent years, some social hot issues such as environmental pollution, false donations, food hygiene, employee safety hazards and other social hot issues have pushed CSR to the forefront. The issue of corporate social responsibility has aroused wide concern in the state and the public, and it has become an irreversible trend that enterprises should bear more or even exceed the economic level of social responsibility. On the background of encouraging enterprises to fulfill social responsibility, the paper based on social responsibility theory, resource-based theory, stakeholder theory and social contract theory, using Stata16.0 to conduct empirical analysis on the samples of listed companies in A-share pharmaceutical, computer, communication and equipment manufacturing industry in China from 2018 to 2020. This paper studies the impact of CSR and R&D on financial performance and the moderating role of R&D in the relationship between CSR and financial performance. Research findings: CSR and financial performance is significantly positive correlation; R&D investment has a significant negative correlation with the current financial performance, but has a positive effect in the lagging period. R&D investment plays a positive moderating role in the positive correlation between CSR and financial performance. Based on the results, this paper puts forward targeted policies and practical suggestions for enterprises and the government from different dimensions, so as to promote the sustainable development of our enterprises by making them pay attention to their social responsibility and technological innovation capabilities.

Does force depression resulting from shortening against series elasticity contribute to the activation dependence of optimum length?

The optimum length for force generation (L0) increases as activation is reduced, challenging classic theories of muscle contraction. Although the activation dependence of L0 is seemingly consistent with length-dependent Ca2+ sensitivity, this mechanism can't explain the apparent force dependence of L0, or the effect of series compliance on activation-related shifts in L0. We have tested a theory proposing that the activation dependence of L0 relates to force depression resulting from shortening against series elasticity. This theory predicts that significant series compliance would cause tetanic L0 to be shorter than the length corresponding to optimal filament overlap, thereby increasing the activation dependence of L0. We tested this prediction by determining L0 and maximum tetanic force (P0) with (L0_spring, P0_spring) and without added compliance in bullfrog semitendinosus muscles. The activation dependence of L0 was characterised with the addition of twitch and doublet contractions. Springs attached to muscles gave added fixed-end compliances of 11-39% and induced force depression for tetanic fixed-end contractions (P0_spring < P0). We found strong, negative correlations between spring compliance and both P0_spring (r2 = 0.89-0.91) and L0_spring (r2 = 0.60-0.63; P < 0.001), while the activation dependence of L0 was positively correlated to added compliance (r2 = 0.45, P = 0.011). However, since the compliance-mediated reduction in L0 was modest relative to the activation-related shift reported for the bullfrog plantaris muscle, additional factors must be considered. Our demonstration of force depression under novel conditions adds support to the involvement of a stress-induced inhibition of cross-bridge binding.

Analysis of IFRS 7 requirements for disclosure of information about financial risks in financial statements and analysis of disclosure practices. Part 1

Subject. The article addresses requirements of IFRS 7 and IFRS 9 for disclosure of information about financial risks in financial statements of an organization when market conditions change. Objectives. The aim is to disclose information about the significance of financial instruments to an organization; the nature and extent of risks arising from those financial instruments; and the impact on these risks by financial instruments. Methods. The study rests on the institutional theory of contracts, the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting. The latter, for the first time, recognized the need to reflect contractual rights and obligations in reporting, as an object of accounting and analysis, and became the theoretical basis for generating information about reporting of derivatives in financial statements when analyzing risks and minimizing them when using derivatives. Results. We assumed that to sufficiently and adequately meet the requirements of IFRS 7 in terms of disclosure of information about risks inherent in a business, heads of any organization should hold a number of events outlined in the article. Conclusions. The analysis of financial risks, their nature, and the degree of influence on the financial position of the reporting organization can significantly increase the transparency of financial statements for external stakeholders, strengthen their trust in the management of the organization and, as a result, contribute to making more balanced and responsible investment decisions.

Industry or Profession? Applying Social Contract Theory to Financial Planning in Australia

Abstract The Australian financial planning industry has been subject to increasingly rigorous forms of government regulation. This paper applies social contract theory to assess whether financial planning can be considered a profession based on its current form. Social contract theory, which intertwines professional status with the promotion of the public good and delivering altruistic service to society, serves as the theoretical framework for this evaluation. Through an analysis of the financial planning industry’s regulatory environment and its response to public inquiries, this paper concludes that while strides have been made, significant gaps remain that prevent financial planning from being recognised as a full-fledged profession.

Teacher and student psychological contract: a review of research

Introduction. The article presents a theoretical analysis of the relationships that develop between participants in the educational process. The main idea is that teaching and upbringing are neither a one-sided, purposeful influence of a teacher on a student, nor the provision of educational services by a teacher to a student, but are a process that involves the active participation of both parties. The purpose of the article is to analyze the emerging exchange relations that develop between a teacher and a student. The object of study in this article is the psychological contract between teacher and student. The subject of the study is the content of representations about mutual expectations and obligations of university teachers and students.Materials and Methods. The article is a theoretical study of the social exchange relationship between teacher and student. The theory of social exchange and the theory of psychological contract are used as a methodological basis. The research base is domestic and foreign publications placed in the RSCI, Science Direct, Willey databases.Results. Relations between participants in the educational process can be considered from the perspective of the theory of social exchange. At the heart of the relationship between participants in the educational process is a psychological contract, including mutual expectations and obligations. The parties to the psychological contract in the context of the educational process can be a student – teacher – non-teaching employee – university. The content of the teacher-student psychological contract differs from the content of the employee-employer psychological contract, although the structural elements of the contract themselves may be the same. The psychological contract between participants in the educational process involves the exchange of different resources.Discussion and Conclusions. The contribution of the research to the theory of social exchange, the theory of psychological contracts and resource theory is presented.

Cramping state of a muscular tissue at passive muscle contraction

On the basis of the muscle contraction theory analyses the problem of the "benign cramp» skeletal muscles occurrence is investigated. It is shown, that existing theory of the muscles contraction (the theory of sliding filaments) allows explain occurrence of cramps if to use the standard positions: contraction of a muscle occurs passively, without expenses of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy; disconnection of actin-myosin complex in the cellular power mechanism is carried out with use of energy of ATP hydrolysis. The cramp arises with circulatory insufficiency, usually in the lower extremities, which leads to a delay of ATP arrival in area of the actin-myosin complex. This slows down the undocking of myosin bridges from actin filaments. It is noted that the use of magnesium preparations, whose ions partially replace calcium ions with similar chemical properties, reduces the possibility of cramp occurrence.

Tax Justice and Tax Compliance: Empirical Evidence from South West Nigeria

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of tax justice on tax compliance in South West Nigeria. Social contract theory provides the nexus between morals and political behavior, as tax compliance by individuals and corporate taxpayers helps governments fund budgets and deliver social goods and services to their citizens. Tax compliance in Nigeria is increasingly on the decline, as the level of motivation among taxpayers is quite low possibly due to the prevailing perception of tax injustice, lack of transparency, and absence of optimal utilization of tax revenue in line with social contract theory. The study adopted a survey research design and involved a population of 3,250 eligible taxpayers. The sample size from each of the states in the South West Nigeria was explored. The Taro Yamane formula was used to determine a sample size of 356, while the proportionate sampling technique was used to determine the distribution of the sample size to each state in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents, and the response rate was 86%. The validity and reliability of the instrument was based on Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett’s tests; the Cronbach’s alpha reliability ranged between 0.89 and 0.96. The results show that tax justice has a significant effect on tax compliance. The study recommends that governments should ensure optimal utilization of tax revenue to increase tax compliance.

On the Possibility of Act Contractualism

ABSTRACT A well-known debate in normative ethics is that between proponents of Act Consequentialism and Rule Consequentialism. Given the structural similarities between Rule Consequentialism and existing forms of Contractualism, one might expect a similar debate to arise among contractualists. However, this is not the case. Some, following T. M. Scanlon, even argue that this question is ‘misconceived’—that there is something deeply mistaken about considering the possibility of an act-based form of contractualism. In this paper, I challenge this claim. I start by showing that the structural similarities between existing contractualist views and Rule Consequentialism suggest that one could formulate an act-based version of Contractualism. This view—Act Contractualism—has received almost no attention so far. Part of the explanation why rests on the thought that justification must involve rules or principles. The idea is that, since justification involves the use of reasons, and since reasons are best expressed through general principles, there is something conceptually mistaken in thinking that a contractualist theory can do without principles. However, I contend that, even if we accept that one cannot talk about reasons without talking about principles, we can meaningfully formulate an act-based contractualist view that takes the role of principles into account. I show that this view is not extensionally equivalent to Rule Contractualism, and that it is better supported by the contractualist rationale. I conclude by calling for more work to be done on Act Contractualism.

Increased destination patronage: can data privacy, safety, and security do the magic?

ABSTRACT The study explores data privacy, assurances, and destination imagery for data protection from the perspectives of destination managers and international tourists. The study utilised concurrent mixed methods to address the first study’s propositions anchored on the social contract theory via interpretative data analysis. The second study was grounded on the optimism and pessimism theory, and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. The study revealed six assurances and also unearthed destination managers’ understanding of using symbols such as elephant, bird, dog, baby, and jewelry to define the protection of tourists’ data. The results of the hypotheses showed that data privacy, safety, and security are significant predictors of destination patronage from an international tourist’ perspective. The study adds to the data privacy literature by exploring symbols or images to describe data protection within the social contract theory perspective, which is considered a new contribution to hospitality and tourism literature.

The Qualification of Islamic Insurance Contract

The concept of insurance, which emerged in the West in the fourteenth century, was introduced to the Islamic world in the nineteenth century. The religious ruling of insurance, which became widespread in Muslim countries in a short time, started to be discussed among the faqihs. In this process, faqihs, who addressed the issue from the perspective of classical contract theory in fiqh, stated that insurance was not permissible due to prohibited elements such as ignorance, gambling, loss, gharar (uncertainity), and interest. This negative opinion on the validity of insurance induce Muslims with interest-sensibility to seek an alternative to conventional insurance. These efforts paved the way for the emergence of the concept of Islamic insurance. Although Islamic insurance has been used in some academic studies for other types of insurance other than conventional insurance, the term “takaful insurance” is meant by this concept in the finance sector today. In Turkiye, however, the concept of “participation insurance” has recently been widely used instead of takāful. It is remarkable that the Islamic insurance system, which began on a simple cooperative basis, evolved into a mixed structure in the following period. For this reason, Islamic insurance contracts are considered to be in the category of “compound/complex contracts” in modern economics. In this study, the qualificaiton of Islamic insurance contracts will be analyzed based on the typical contracts in the fiqh literature.

Resolving elliptic boundary value problem and integral equation in relational partial metric space

In the present study, a novel version of the contraction theory on a relational partial metric space associated with a binary relation is exhibited. In this process, we observe that numerous relations can be used in many well-known fixed point theorems earlier introduced by multiple authors. We solve an elliptic boundary value problem and an integral equation to make the significance of the main conclusion evident. Exploring a nonlinear system, governed by nonlinear equations, underscores the importance of comprehending fixed points - pivotal states where the dynamics of a system remain unaltered.

Joint value creation: A functional, proactive approach to contract governance

AbstractThe recurrent series of crises demonstrates that supply chains are frequently susceptible to disruption. It is imperative they adapt to evolving economic, ecological, social, and geopolitical circumstances. Economists and management scholars have introduced contract governance models that facilitate adaptation and collaboration; however, these models have been largely ignored in the legal field. This article addresses a significant gap in the existing literature on commercial contracts, which is currently fragmented between legal, economic, and organizational perspectives. The article proposes a functional, proactive contracting framework focused on joint value creation. The framework integrates insights from transaction cost economics, relational contract theory, relational view, functional contracting, proactive contracting, and legal design. It provides an instrument for contracting parties to co‐create contracts that enhance performance, reduce transaction costs, devise contingency plans, and utilize contracts as user‐centric tools to support relational governance practices and sustainability. A case study on Finnish Alliance Model Contract Clauses demonstrates the benefits of this approach in fostering more collaborative and resilient commercial contracts.