Empiricism Research Articles

The effect of prosocial behavior and its intensity on doctors’ performance in an online health community

Online health communities (OHCs) are encouraging doctors to engage in prosocial behaviors to promote sustainable development of OHCs and benefit the user base, which may further influence doctor-level performance. However, it is unclear how prosocial behavior and its intensity affect doctor-level performance, such as doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of prosocial behavior and its intensity on doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. We conducted a series of empirical analyses on 103,208 doctor-level samples from a leading OHC in China. Initially, we applied the propensity score matching (PSM) method to obtain a more balanced sample, then, we employed a negative binomial regression model to analyze the sample after PSM, and finally, we performed a robustness test using a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model and changing the time window. Our research findings indicate that prosocial behavior positively affects the doctor-patient relationship, doctors’ online reputation, and online demand. The intensity of prosocial behavior has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. The doctor’s clinical title negatively moderates the effect of prosocial behavior on the doctor-patient relationship and online demand. Therefore, OHC operators can draw on our findings to encourage more doctors to engage in prosocial behavior while suggesting they consider the role of the intensity of prosocial behavior and clinical title.

Maximizing green innovation: the impact of government subsidies and R&D in digital supply chains

PurposeThis research examines the relationship between green innovation and firm performance, focusing on identifying the moderating effects of government subsidies and digital transformation R&D investments. The study aims to provide insights on how firms can leverage green innovation for enhanced performance while addressing potential drawbacks.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both analytical models and empirical analyses. It investigates the curvilinear relationship between green innovation and firm performance and explores the moderating roles of government subsidies and digital transformation R&D investments.FindingsThe findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between green innovation and firm performance, indicating that initial investments in green innovation led to performance improvements, but beyond a certain point, the returns diminished. The study also finds that government subsidies and digital transformation R&D investments significantly enhance the positive impact of green innovation up to the optimal threshold and help mitigate negative effects.Practical implicationsThe research provides practical guidance for firms on managing their green innovation investments to maximize performance benefits. It also offers insights for policymakers on designing effective subsidies and support mechanisms to promote environmental sustainability and economic growth.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by elucidating the complex relationship between green innovation and firm performance and highlighting the critical roles of government subsidies and digital transformation R&D investments. It offers valuable implications for businesses seeking to balance environmental and economic objectives and policymakers aiming to foster sustainable and profitable practices.

How Product Background Color Combination in Brand Post Affects Product Evaluation on Instagram

The influence of visual content and heuristic cues on product evaluation, such as color composition on Instagram, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influence of product background color combinations (similar vs. contrastive) on product evaluation. Two empirical analyses were conducted, and the findings revealed that when the color is similar between product and background, it can significantly influence product evaluation in both brand layout and post situations on Instagram. The product type (functional vs. sensory-social) was found to moderate the relationship between product background color and product evaluation. This study contributes to the existing literature on color theory and visual marketing research, providing valuable practical implications and novel insights for leveraging color cues when presenting products on brand Instagram accounts.

The importance of time – surveying spiritual meaning and growth during the COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantine

ABSTRACT This study presents the results of two surveys based on the conceptual design and research framework as proposed by De Beer (2021). The empirical study analyses the data of the survey to determine factors that influenced people’s spiritual experiences during the 2020–2021 pandemic, in order to contribute to the identification of factors that influence people’s experience of spirituality in challenging times. A total of 227 adults, aged 18–81 from different countries participated in the study. The data were analysed and tested for predicting factors through the calculation and comparison of median values and an ordinal logistic regression. The study concludes with recommendations for spiritual workers, healthcare workers, faith communities, and religious leaders to assist people with their spiritual journey in times of crisis. The novel contribution of this study is that it made use of the opportunity provided by the COVID-19-pandemic to learn more about people’s spiritual experiences in unprecedented times as an important factor in people’s well-being.

Resilience dimensions in health system performance assessments, European Union.

To explore the definition and operationalization of resilience in health system performance assessments in European Union countries. We conducted multiple empirical case study analyses. We identified relevant cases through a literature review from 2014 to 2023 using Google Scholar and through a snowball technique to retrieve additional information. We included only documents that explicitly mentioned resilience in health system performance assessments. We performed a content analysis to identify common patterns in defining resilience. The final sample consisted of six countries: Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland and Italy. Each country adopted a distinct approach to conceptualizing resilience, with countries prioritizing specific aspects based on lessons learnt from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Some countries focused on maintaining essential health-care services and protecting vulnerable groups. Other countries prioritized management capacity, staff preparedness, digital health utilization and strengthening of primary health care. Content analysis revealed six resilience definitions derived from the key performance indicators: addressing unmet needs and maintaining outcomes; protecting vulnerable groups; acquiring and using resources; having trained and prepared staff in place; using digital health; and strengthening primary health care. Integration of resilience into the health profiles of European Union countries preceded its inclusion in national health system performance assessments, the latter of which became more prominent after the COVID-19 pandemic. Variations in interpretations within health system performance assessments reflect differences in indicators and policy responses.

Understanding the local government debt in China

The alarmingly high level of local government debt (LGD) in China threatens the financial stability, fiscal system, and sustainability of China's economic success. This study provides a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the evolution and causes of LGD expansion by investigating institutional details, developing conceptual frameworks through economic and institutional lenses, and conducting empirical analyses. Under the economic framework, we find that the demand-side (issuing LGD to fill the widening fiscal deficits) driver explains little about the rapid expansion of LGD in China except in the Northeastern region, while the supply-side driver (banks' and the public's asset needs) and investments in real estate and local employment are positively associated with LGD. Under the institutional framework, rent-seeking behaviors (capitalizing on executive power and institutional frictions), instead of resolving institutional frictions (connecting agents of different political and economic natures to achieve state goals through market mechanisms) is a significant determinant of LGD. These findings suggest that anti-corruption and system design (or supervision and incentives) in addressing the boundary between local government officials and businesses is critical for financial stability and economic sustainability in China.

Grammar teaching in inclusive learning groups. A reconstructive analysis of subject-specific teaching

Abstract This article argues that the relationship between subject-related and social participation is of paramount importance for inclusion-oriented subject teaching research. Firstly, subject teaching is understood as a social practice that is characterised by a specific complexity of the temporal, social and subject-related dimensions of teaching. Secondly, it is assumed that enabling and hindering subject-related and social participation in the practice of teaching is one of the most central analytical attitudes of inclusion-oriented subject teaching research. This is exemplified by empirical analyses of grammar lessons using the methodology of the documentary method.

THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL POLICIES ON PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN INNOVATION

This research investigates the factors influencing the development of green patents and their implications on green innovation. Green financing has the purpose of funding environmental initiatives by directing capital from financial institutions to eco-friendly projects. Through a review of existing literature and empirical analyses, we identify the influence of financial variables and economic policy strategy as key contributors. Preliminary findings suggest that these factors significantly impact the prevalence of green patents, highlighting the importance of policy and financial decisions in fostering environmentally sustainable technological advancements. Our findings reveal a positive correlation between environmental R&D expenditure and green innovation. Moreover, venture capital emerges as a significant driver of green innovation, facilitating the development of environmentally conscious solutions by mitigating financial risks. Additionally, the stringency of environmental policies and the presence of green bonds and carbon taxes demonstrate positive associations with green innovation. Consequently, the main objectives of this article are to examine the impact of financial policies such as R&D, Venture Capital, Debt financing and environmental regulations on the development of green patents and innovation as well as investigate the relationship between green bonds, carbon taxes and green innovation. Ultimately, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable development, offering a nuanced understanding of the dynamics driving green innovation.

Self-fulfilling prophecy in livelihood sustainability: Rural tourism in Pingqian Village, China

This study proposes a conceptual model of villagers' risk perceptions of poverty recurrence. Integrating the sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) with the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy, the study employed a mixed-method approach in the empirical analyses using data collected over four years in Pingqian Village, China. The study revealed that rural tourism empowered the villagers to improve their physical and financial capital by reducing dependence on cropland. However, interactive vulnerabilities can significantly impact their risk perceptions of poverty recurrence, thus shaping their behaviors in investment decisions and business operations in rural tourism. This raises concerns about potential overreliance on tourism in rural communalities that may undermine sustainability goals. In practical terms, the study presents a mechanism to monitor villagers’ risk perceptions of poverty recurrence at different risk levels. The conceptual and empirical results enrich the SLF and sustainability literature and practice by highlighting the bidirectional relationship between vulnerabilities and livelihood assets.

Analyze the effect of energy efficiency, natural resources, and the digital economy on ecological footprint in OCED countries: The mediating role of renewable energy

Considering the urgent target of carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability, this paper analyzes the nexus of energy efficiency, natural resources, and the digital economy on ecological footprint in OECD countries from 2002 to 2020. We apply the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) to evaluate the long-run relationship of variables and check the mediating effect of renewable energy between the digital economy and ecological footprint. Through a series of empirical analyses, the primary results are as follows. First, it has been discovered that energy efficiency and natural resources contribute to decreasing ecological footprint. Second, the digital economy exerts a detrimental impact on the lowering of the ecological footprint. Third, the mediating outcome suggests that the digital economy cannot promote an ecological footprint decrease with the development of renewable energy. Based on the findings, we also recommend some ideas for OECD countries’ economy, energy, and environmental improvements.

The Impact of Digital Trade on China’s Position in the GVC: An Empirical Analysis Based on Sino-Russian Cross-Border Panel Data

This study analyzes OECD input–output data and UNCTAD database information to assess the impact of Sino-Russian digital trade on China’s position in the global value chain (GVC). The findings indicate that digital trade between China and Russia enhances China’s GVC status, especially in technology-intensive manufacturing sectors, while its impact is less pronounced in non-technology-intensive sectors. The digitalization level of the service industry significantly influences its effectiveness, with stronger effects in sectors that are less digitally mature. Mechanism analysis reveals that Sino-Russian digital trade boosts GVC positions through effective technology transfer, increased capital stock, and optimized human resources. Based on theoretical and empirical analyses, deepening the digitization of the manufacturing sector, expanding the layout of digital industries, strengthening Sino-Russian digital trade cooperation, and promoting the development of a digital “Belt and Road” initiative are beneficial for enhancing China’s position in the GVC and enhancing overall prosperity. These strategies not only enhance global competitiveness but also contribute to the broader goals of sustainable development by fostering economic resilience and innovation.

Portfolio Analysis of Multi-Factor Stock Selection Model Based on Investor Sentiment

Since 1990, China's securities market has been gradually improved. Domestic and foreign scholars have proposed many theoretically perfect investment models, but not many of them have been applied in practice because the market cannot satisfy the strict assumption conditions of the models. Foreign quantitative investment models are not necessarily effective in the Chinese market. Based on this, this paper takes the portfolio theory as a guide, uses the scoring method to construct a multi-factor stock selection model, and selects the relevant factors in combination with the characteristics of the Chinese market. Through empirical analyses, the validity of the multi-factor stock selection model with equal weight allocation in China's market is verified. In addition, this paper innovatively constructs an investor sentiment factor, combines the sentiment timing with the multi-factor stock selection model, optimises the timing on the basis of the multi-factor stock selection model, and proposes an investment strategy to obtain excess returns stably.

The Moderating Role of Country Governance in the Link between ESG and Financial Performance: A Study of Listed Companies in 58 Countries

Corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance is expected to positively affect financial performance because it helps firms gain sociopolitical legitimacy from receiving positive stakeholder awareness and gaining key resources. However, the research on the relationship between corporate ESG performance and financial performance has yielded mixed results. This paper explores the impact of the country governance environment on the ESG–financial performance link. We propose that the positive ESG–financial performance relationship is stronger for firms in countries with better governance. Empirical analyses using a large panel dataset covering 11 years and 58 countries support our arguments. We found that countries with more effective governance in political stability, regulatory quality, and control of corruption strengthen the positive ESG–financial performance relationship. The implications of our findings are significant for firms that face different governance environments and develop sustainable business strategies.

Digital transformation and corporate audit risk: Mediating effects of auditor behavior

Digital transformation has emerged as a critical factor in shaping the modern business landscape, with significant implications for corporate governance and audit risk. This study examines how digital transformation affected corporate audit risk in Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2022. Employing comprehensive empirical analyses, we discover that corporate audit risk is greatly decreased by digital transformation, with this relationship partially mediated by changes in audit fees, audit input, and audit opinions. The effects are more pronounced in state-owned firms. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating digital tools in auditing practices to mitigate risk and enhance audit quality. This study contributes to the understanding of how digital transformation influences auditor behavior and audit processes, providing valuable insights for policymakers and corporate managers in the digital era.

The Role of Modular Architecture in The Context of Is/It Project Outsourcing: An Empirical Analysis

The outsourcing of information systems and information technology (IS/IT) has become a prevalent practice in both developed and emerging economies, with the aim of achieving economies of scale and competitive advantages. In general, an IS/IT outsourcing deal concerns an agreement or contract (service level agreement or SLA) between parties in which one party (the vendor organization) agrees to deliver certain services to another party (the customer organization). The outsourcing literature is persistently reporting high failure rates in IS/IT project outsourcing and suggests that the IS/IT project outsourcing process is a complex maneuver. However, it is likely that due to inappropriate strategies and short-sightedness, at least a third of IS/IT outsourcing projects fail to deliver intended targets. For decades, in numerous fields, the issue of complexity has been addressed by applying the concept of modularity. Modular architecture is a key aspect of the concept of modularity. An in-house team of skilled individuals possessing expertise in architectural and systems integration knowledge may help to achieve competitive advantage by effectively managing complexity. In addition to achieving economies of scale, the customer organization may also achieve agility and flexibility by combining the advantages of modularity and outsourcing. This study examines the feasibility of applying the concept of modularity in the context of IS/IT project outsourcing with the aim of further expanding its scope. The findings of empirical analyses of four cases suggest that numerous aspects of the concept of modularity are relevant in the context of IS/IT project outsourcing. The ‘modular architecture’ has emerged as one of the most relevant and was identified in three out of the four analyzed cases. It implies that the ‘modular architecture’ aspect ought to receive greater attention when designing or planning a new IS/IT outsourcing project. The authors argue by stating that the present study has provided support for the point of view that engineering concepts such as modularity can be applied with substantial relevance to research domains which are predominantly considered from an IT management-perspective. Perhaps the use of the same concept, i.e., modularity, at both the technical and management level will provide a common vocabulary and may be even more to achieve better alignment between both levels and contribute to realizing more successful IS/IT outsourcing projects in the future. However, at the very least, a common vocabulary should help in collaboration between researchers at both levels to advance the research and practice in IS/IT project outsourcing, to which this is an invitation. It would be a contribution to the new and emerging research area focusing on applying engineering concepts to the design of enterprises, coined Enterprise Engineering. In addition to theoretical contributions, this study has implications at a practical level by providing an alternative lens for the CIO’s to analyze their future IS/IT projects.

Research note: the impact of CI diversity and organizational tenure on the relationship between competitive intelligence and sales performance: a meta-analytic review

Previous studies have found positive, negative, and null effects of Competitive Intelligence (CI) on performance, and there is limited evidence about the moderators that might strengthen or weaken this relationship. In response, the authors provide needed insight into these empirical questions by conducting a meta-analysis of CI on sales performance, and propose a theoretical framework that includes the moderating roles of CI diversity and organizational tenure. Using data collected from 1) managers and 2) salespeople, the results demonstrate that managers’ CI, salespeople’s CI, and overall CI positively influence objective and subjective performance, while high levels of CI diversity and organizational tenure amplify these relationships. The authors conclude with directions for future research which—in answering—should prove illuminating for both sales theory and practice, as the collection, use, and dissemination of CI has become increasingly important in a modern selling environment.

Somali particle clusters

Abstract Preverbal elements are famous for triggering several “coalescence rules” in Somali (Saeed 1999: 39). A case at hand is the set of adpositions ú (destination, manner), kú (locative, instrument), ká (source, content) and lá (comitative). The combinations of two adpositions are well documented, and it has long been noticed that some of them are phonologically opaque. Such opaque forms can in principle be analysed along two general lines: i) they are the outputs of a transparent combination of morphemes, and their surface forms is accounted for by positing allomorphy rules, or ii) they are not a combination of two morphemes, but single lexicalized units. The choice between these two options is an empirical question, which I address in this article. I examine the behaviour of opaque forms in a broader context: two-adposition clusters in combination with a pronominal clitic, and with a third adposition. Based on a new empirical basis, I conclude in favour of lexicalization. This result has consequences on the general assumption of a fixed ordering of adpositions in the preverbal domain. Since all combinations of kV́ adpositions surface as syncretic kagá, we have no evidence for assuming that the occurrence of two kV́ adpositions is ordered, and if it is ordered, in which order they appear.

Interdecadal variability of summer precipitation in the Three River Source Region: Influences of SST and zonal shifts of the East Asian subtropical westerly jet

Summer precipitation in the Three Rivers Source Region (TRSR) of China is vital for the headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze, and Lancang rivers and exhibits significant interdecadal variability. This study investigates the influence of the East Asian westerly jet (EAWJ) on TRSR rainfall. A strong correlation is found between TRSR summer precipitation and the Jet Zonal Position Index (JZPI) of the EAWJ from 1961 to 2019 (R = 0.619, p < 0.01). During periods when a positive JZPI indicates a westward shift in the EAWJ, enhanced water vapor anomalies, warmer air, and low-level convergence anomalies contribute to increased TRSR summer precipitation. Using empirical orthogonal function and regression analyses, this research identifies the influence of large-scale circulation anomalies associated with the Atlantic–Eurasian teleconnection (AEA) from the North Atlantic (NA). The interdecadal variability between the NA and central tropical Pacific (CTP) significantly affects TRSR precipitation. This influence is mediated through the AEA via a Rossby wave train extending eastward along the EAWJ, and another south of 45°N. Moreover, the NA–CTP Opposite Phase Index (OPI), which quantifies the difference between the summer mean sea surface temperatures of the NA and the CTP, is identified as a critical factor in modulating the strength of this teleconnection and influencing the zonal position of the EAWJ.摘要本研究探讨了年代际东亚西风急流的纬向移动对黄河, 长江和澜沧江源头—三江源区夏季降水的影响. 研究发现, 在1961–2019年间, 三江源区夏季降水量与急流纬向位置指数 (JZPI) 在年代际尺度上存在强正相关 (R=0.619, p<0.01) . 当JZPI呈正值, 也就是东亚西风急流向西移动时, 增强的水汽, 温暖的气流和低层辐合异常有助于三江源区夏季降水增加. 北大西洋与中太平洋之间的年代际变化对三江源区的降水有着显著的影响, 主要以北大西洋–欧亚遥相关 (AEA) 方式, 通过沿东亚西风急流向东延伸的罗斯贝波列, 以及45°N以南的另一波列来影响三江源区的降水. 进一步分析发现, 北大西洋与中太平洋反向相位指数 (OPI) 作为一个关键因素, 可量化北大西洋与中太平洋之间夏季平均海表温度的差异, 调控该遥相关的强度并影响急流的纬向位置.

Towards sustainable crop protection in agriculture: A framework for research and policy

CONTEXTEuropean countries have set ambitious targets to reduce the risks of pesticide use. Achieving these targets will require a large proportion of farmers to adopt sustainable crop protection practices. However, how to enable this transition and what are the best policies to support farmers remain open questions. OBJECTIVEHere, we provide a coherent review of existing evidence and new insights into farmer decision-making and policy analysis in the context of the transition to more sustainable crop protection. We synthesise and extend the empirical evidence and the conceptual and methodological foundations to examine farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable crop protection and to assess the potential of different policy measures to support this transition. Our analysis focuses on European agriculture. METHODSWe provide a framework and synthesise evidence by reviewing the literature and combining agronomic and economic perspectives. We focus on three issues: i) indicators for empirical analyses of adoption of sustainable crop protection practices; ii) behavioural perspectives on farmer adoption; iii) insights into methodological approaches for assessing adoption of sustainable crop protection practices and related policies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONWe have identified four main findings and implications. First, sustainable crop protection practices consist of combinations and bundles of individual measures that are not currently regularly considered in policy instruments and policy analysis. Second, definitions of adoption should move from simple adoption metrics to impacts, for example on pesticide risk reduction. Third, behavioural factors are highly relevant to farmers' adoption decisions, but are currently under-researched and under-represented in the field of sustainable crop protection practices. Fourth, the tools currently used for policy analysis do not allow these key aspects to be represented. We draw policy conclusions. SIGNIFICANCEOur analyses help guide policy decisions to achieve pesticide use and risk reduction objectives, and have implications for pesticide policy in Europe and beyond. We identify gaps in current conceptual and methodological approaches, promising avenues for future research, and ways to make results more coherent and comparable. Our analysis thus provides new insights and templates to guide future research and policy analysis on the adoption of sustainable crop protection approaches.

Can carbon emissions trading policy promote product bargaining power increases for high-carbon enterprises? Evidence from China.

Carbon emissions trading policies play a crucial role in facilitating the transition to high-end products within high-carbon enterprises. Nevertheless, current empirical analyses of the carbon emissions trading market exhibit a lack of precision and are susceptible to bias in their findings. Limited research has been conducted on the influence of product quality as a potential constraint on the impact of carbon trading on product bargaining power. This study presents a double-difference model utilizing data on emission-control enterprises in China's carbon market to examine the influence of the carbon emissions trading mechanism on the bargaining power of high-carbon products. Empirical analysis is conducted using financial data from listed companies in China spanning the years 2010 to 2020. The findings indicate that the implementation of carbon emissions trading policies has a dampening impact on the product bargaining power of high-carbon enterprises. Moreover, carbon emissions trading policies have heterogeneous effects on the product bargaining power of high-carbon firms with different life cycles, with mature high-carbon firms receiving a boost and declining high-carbon firms receiving a dampening effect. Mechanism test finds that the incomplete transmission effect of cost shocks resulting from carbon emissions trading policies has negatively affect the product bargaining power of high-carbon enterprises. Further research finds that product quality is a key factor in determining the effect of the carbon emissions trading policy, and that the impact of the carbon emissions trading policy on the bargaining power of products of high-carbon firms takes on a "U" shape due to product quality. Once the product quality exceeds the bottleneck value of 0.5956, the policy significantly increases the bargaining power of products. The study confirms that the establishment of carbon markets can effectively increase the bargaining power of superior products. These results offer a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation for nations to advance the development of carbon markets and facilitate the achievement of sustainable development by high-carbon enterprises.