Market Size Research Articles

"Games being played": a US exploration of market strategies used by the beverage industry as experienced by food retailers.

The beverage industry's role in undermining nutrition-related population health is a growing global concern. Industry strategies that affect policy, science, and public opinion are increasingly exposed. However, those used in the retail space-known as market strategies-remain largely unspecified. The purpose of this study was to uncover the market strategies beverage companies use with US retailers to secure their influence and control in the primary setting where the public purchases their products-food retail. We conducted a qualitative study based on multiple data sources: 49 interviews with industry insiders, including chain retail managers, independent store owners, and sales representatives and distributors of major food and beverage companies; 15 business files shared by participants, including written beverage marketing agreements and contracts; and 27 purposively sampled, publicly-available industry documents. All data were thematically analyzed. We identified that beverage agreements, which dictate the products, space, marketing, and prices of company products in retail settings, are universal regardless of the retailer's market size. While ubiquitous, the agreement terms, services, and treatment beverage companies provided varied widely-with large US retail chains receiving superior opportunities, such as financial incentives and additional services, and independent and small chain retailers often experiencing disadvantaged, more expensive, non-negotiable terms. Despite this, companies also used several strategies that diminished concerns of differential treatment and thus effectively managed their reputation among independent and small chain retailers. Findings suggest a use of the consolidated power among beverage companies with significant implications for the healthfulness of food retail settings. We conclude by highlighting key policy and legal targets that could be leveraged in the US to address power imbalances in the retailer-beverage company relationship and ultimately shift retail towards promoting public health.

Research Progress of Dual‐Site Tandem Catalysts in the Preparation of Multi Carbon Products by Electro Reduction of CO2

AbstractThe era of an energy economy driven by “carbon neutrality” is putting forward stricter requirements for the use of carbon resources and the governance of CO2. Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide reaction (CO2RR), driven by renewable energy, is a practical energy storage technology with broad application prospects. It can reduce CO2 into carbon‐based fuels and chemical products. Among them, multi‐carbon (C2+) products have higher energy density and larger market size, and can significantly reduce the global demand for fossil fuels and close the artificial carbon cycle. Introducing additional active sites into Cu‐based catalysts to prepare dual‐site tandem catalysts can regulate the electronic and geometric structure of the catalysts, break linear scale relationships, reduce reaction potential barriers, and bring superb and stable catalytic performance. Various types of dual‐site tandem catalysts are developed, and the understanding of the tandem effect is pushed to a higher level. This paper reviews several typical dual‐site tandem catalysts: atom–atom dual‐site tandem catalysts, atom‐particle dual‐site tandem catalysts, particle–particle dual‐site tandem catalysts, and heterogeneous interface dual‐site tandem catalysts. It then deeply analyzes the reaction mechanism and research progress of these advanced catalysts in CO2RR. In addition, the challenges and opportunities faced by such catalysts are also discussed.

Antibody Aggregation: A Problem Within the Biopharmaceutical Industry and Its Role in AL Amyloidosis Disease.

Due to the large size and rapid growth of the global therapeutic antibody market, there is major interest in understanding the aggregation of protein products as it can compromise efficacy, concentration, and safety. Various production and storage conditions have been identified as capable of inducing aggregation of polyclonal and monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies such as low pH, freezing, light exposure, lyophilisation and increased ionic strength. The addition of stabilising excipients to these therapeutics helps to combat the formation of aggregates with future aggregation inhibition mechanisms involving the introduction of point mutations and glycoengineering within aggregation prone regions (APRs). Antibody aggregation also plays an integral role in the pathogenesis of a condition known as amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis which is characterised by the production of improperly folded and amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chains (LCs). Current diagnostic tools rely heavily on histological staining with their future moving towards amyloid component identification and proteomic analysis. For many years, treatment options designed for multiple myeloma (MM) have been applied to AL amyloidosis patients by depleting plasma cell numbers. More recently, treatment strategies more specific to this condition have been developed with many designed to recognize amyloid fibrils and trigger their degradation without causing systemic plasma cell cytotoxicity. Amyloid fibrils in AL disease and aggregates in antibody therapeutics are both formed through the oligomerisation of misfolded / modified proteins attempting to reach a thermodynamically stable, free energy minimum that is lower than the respective monomers themselves. Although the final morphologies are different, by understanding the principles underlying such aggregation, we expect to find common insights that may contribute to the development of new and effective methods of antibody aggregation and/or amyloidosis management. We envision that this area of research will continue to be very relevant in both industry and clinical settings.

Through analysis of three-generation solar cells, predict the future potential for solar-powered cars

In today's world, the problem of global warming is becoming increasingly serious, leading to natural disasters. One of the main causes of global warming is the emission of carbon dioxide. There are hundreds of millions of cars worldwide that contain a lot of carbon dioxide in their exhaust emissions, and in the future more and more. So now mankind needs a way to solve this problem. The development and promotion of solar cars is a good way to reduce car exhaust emissions. The role, market size and prospects of solar vehicles are presented in this article. By summarizing the different types of solar cells in different literature, the working principles of the first, second and third generation solar cell, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are analysed. By studying the properties of these batteries, the performance of the fourth generation of new solar cells is predicted and some individual opinions are presented.

Austrian FDI in Asian economies: Does knowledge capital matter?

PurposeWhile Austrian foreign direct investment (FDI) in Asian economies experiences a rising trend, the following question arises: Why does Austria invest more in certain economies over others? This study intends to assess the factors that drive Austrian investment in Asian economies.Design/methodology/approachBased on the ownership, location and internalization framework and the knowledge capital approach, this study hypothesizes that knowledge capital significantly attracts FDI from Austria. Meanwhile, this study applies the panel-corrected standard error method to analyze data for 11 Asian economies from 1990 to 2022.FindingsAfter considering endogeneity, the results show a positive and significant correlation between expenditure in research and development per gross domestic product (GDP) in the host economies and FDI inflow from Austria. In addition, the study reveals that factors such as market size, trade openness and natural resources in the host economies significantly influence Austria’s FDI, which indicates that Austrian investors fall into the three main FDI typologies: market-seeking, resources-seeking and efficiency-seeking.Originality/valueThis study fills the literature gap by becoming the first to analyze the determinants of Austrian FDI in Asian economies, thus enriching our understanding of Austria’s global investment pattern.

The Nexus Between Digital Technology, Innovation, Entrepreneurship Education, and Entrepreneurial Intention and Entrepreneurial Motivation: A Systematic Literature Review

Entrepreneurship Education (EE) is renowned for developing students’ managerial aptitudes, skills, and ideas for self-reliance. The inclusion of digital technology and innovation in EE is necessary to enhance Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) and Entrepreneurial Motivation (EM) for technological revolution and economic development. The aim of the systematic literature review is to (i) identify the current study on digital technologies, innovation, EE, EI, and EM, (ii) highlight how digital technology and innovation shape EE to achieve EI and motivation among students, and (iii) offer new advice on the future EE in a digital era. A search strategy was instituted to ascertain the required publications from Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, IEEE, ProQuest, SAGE Journals, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley. The publications were between 2010 and 2024, with no language restrictions. Out of the 108 identified publications from the search, 69 publications representing 54 separate papers were used in the review. Digital transformation in EE requires significant studies to determine its role in economic development and job creation. This review identified several themes in the publications, such as innovation, motivation, skills development, digital technology, EE’s impact, and factors of EE. The sustainability and future expectations of EE through digital technology and innovation are highlighted in the review. The study identified several findings, such as factors depriving EE, such as experience, investment, teachers, infrastructure, technology, market size, government, competition, culture, and funds. Further findings are a strategic vision of EE through policies to embrace innovation and digital technology practices and to achieve EM and EI. Also, the selected papers for the review are current publications at 61.1%, the quantitative method at 42.3% and journal articles at 88.9%. It is prudent to review EE’s appropriateness in a digital and innovative environment and to identify the impact on EM and EI among students.

Is a Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Conducive to the Improvement of Entrepreneurial Performance? Evidence from Typical Counties of Rural Entrepreneurship and Innovation in China

Rural entrepreneurship is an important means to solve the problem of “rural decline” and is also the focus of the “rural revitalization” strategy. The rural entrepreneurship ecosystem directly affects entrepreneurial performance. Based on the configurational perspective, using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method, taking 85 typical rural innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration counties in China as research samples, this study explores the impact path of the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem composed of multiple factors on entrepreneurial performance and the complex causal mechanisms behind it. The results show that market size, human capital, financial capital, infrastructure (both hardware and software), and government scale cannot individually constitute the necessary conditions for high or non-high rural entrepreneurial performance; there exist two pathways driving high entrepreneurial performance in rural areas: a market-driven financing-and-intelligence integration pathway and a government-supported infrastructure-assisted pathway. Under certain conditions, there is a substitution relationship between rural entrepreneurial market allocation and government intervention; there are two paths driving non-high rural entrepreneurial performance, which are summarized into market–financing suppression and market–government suppression according to the core driving factors. By systematically analyzing the impact of the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem on entrepreneurial performance, and explaining the intrinsic logic and path of high and non-high entrepreneurial performance based on the configurational perspective, this paper provides a decision-making reference for further enhancing the entrepreneurial performance in rural China and realizing rural revitalization.

Social Media Marketing Features and Empirical Studies in the Fast Food Industry Context: A Literature Review and a New Window for Future Promotion

The fast food industry is a major player in the global economy. In 2020, the global fast-food market size was $125.05 billion, and it is projected to reach $137.74 billion in 2021 and grow to $1,467.04 billion by 2028. Social media plays a significant role in promoting this industry due to its size. This study aimed to identify the features of social media marketing commonly used to promote products and services and to explore which of these features was tested in empirical studies in the fast-food industry. The study used a qualitative approach, analyzing existing literature. The results revealed that advertising, sales promotion, generated content (firm and user), and e-word of mouth are commonly used in social media marketing. However, only two of these features have been tested more extensively in the latest empirical studies of the fast-food industry. These were advertising and sales promotion. Thus, this study suggests that more empirical studies should be conducted to understand the effect of all social media marketing features on customer intention within the fast-food industry. It potentially opens new windows for industry promotion.

Uncertain Regulations, Definite Impacts: The Impact of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulatory Interventions on Crypto Assets

This study employs an event study methodology to investigate the market impact of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) classification of crypto assets as securities. It explores how SEC interventions influence asset returns and trading volumes, focusing on explicitly named crypto assets. The empirical analysis highlights significant adverse market reactions, notably returns plummeting 12% over one week post-announcement, persisting for a month. We demonstrate that the severity of market reaction depends on sentiment and asset characteristics such as market size, age, volatility, and illiquidity. Further, we identify significant ex-ante trading volume effects indicative of pre-announcement informed trading.

Cap-and-trade under a dual-channel setting in the presence of information asymmetry

Cap-and-trade, a widely used carbon regulation policy, encourages firms to adopt carbon abatement technologies to reduce emissions. Traditional supply-chain literature on this policy assumes symmetrical information, overlooking the fact that carbon abatement efforts and costs are often private and vary significantly across geographies, industries, and pollutants. In this paper we explore a dual-channel setting involving a manufacturer and a retailer, where the manufacturer, subject to cap-and-trade regulations, has undisclosed information about its carbon abatement costs. Our findings reveal that high abatement costs can paradoxically benefit the manufacturer, the environment, consumers, and overall social welfare. Our result also cautions that a higher carbon trading price (e.g., due to more ambitious emission reduction targets) can disincentivize the manufacturer from investing in carbon abatement. Moreover, a higher production cost, while resulting in lower market output, can increase pollution generation. We contribute the following to the practitioner debate about the impact of carbon policies: for an industry with a large market size, our findings lend support to governments to implement a cap-and-trade policy, because the manufacturer, customers and social welfare can be better off under a cap-and-trade policy than under a tax policy or no carbon policy. Additionally, we suggest that in such industries, governments need not enforce information transparency within the supply chain.

Digital industry agglomeration and urban innovation: Evidence from China

This study explores the relationship between digital economy and urban innovation from the perspective of economic agglomeration. Based on a panel data set of 285 Chinese cities from 2009 to 2019 and the classification of the digital industry by the National Bureau of Statistics, this study shows that an increased level of digital industry agglomeration significantly contributes to urban innovation, with more pronounced effects observed in larger cities and those in eastern and western regions. Further analysis of industry heterogeneity reveals that digital industry agglomeration not only boosts innovation within the digital industry but also enhances it in non-digital industries. Additionally, digital industry agglomeration appears more conducive to promoting innovation in green technology industries than in non-green technology industries. The mechanism analysis reveals the mediating effect of data capital accumulation, market size expansion, and digital technology spillover on urban innovation. The Sobel test reveals that data capital accumulation has the largest mediating effect on total patents, while digital technology spillover has the strongest mediating effect on invention patents. This study enriches the existing understanding of the agglomeration effect of the digital industry on urban innovation and sheds light on the mechanisms driving urban innovation in emerging economies.

DIMENSIONS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING SMES IN LAGOS AND OYO STATES, NIGERIA

This study analyses the collective joint effects of social capital dimensions on performance of small and medium manufacturing enterprises in Lagos and Oyo states, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design, and data was collected with the aid of structured questionnaire, copies of which were administered to 914 purposively selected out 3200 manufacturing SMEs in Lagos and Oyo States, Nigeria. Multi-Linear Regression was used to analyse the joint effects of social capital dimensions on performance of the manufacturing SMEs. Findings showed that there is a positive relationship between the dimensions of social capital and manufacturing SMEs performance (p=0.000). The results of the joint effects of the dimensions showed that relational dimension (p<0.05) and cognitive dimension (p<0.05) have statistically significant joint effects on manufacturing SMEs performance while structural dimension (p>0.05) do not have statistically significant joint effect on manufacturing SMEs performance. Manufacturing SMEs should give priority attention to relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital due to its ability to predict customer satisfaction and market size.

DIMENSION OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN LAGOS AND OYO STATES, NIGERIA

This study analyses the collective joint effects of social capital dimensions on performance of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos and Oyo states, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design, and data was collected with the aid of structured questionnaire, copies of which were administered to 914 purposively selected out 3200 manufacturing SMEs in Lagos and Oyo States, Nigeria. Multi-Linear Regression was used to analyse the joint effects of social capital dimensions on performance of the manufacturing SMEs. Findings showed that there is a positive relationship between the dimensions of social capital and manufacturing SMEs performance (p=0.000). The results of the joint effects of the dimensions showed that relational dimension (p<0.05) and cognitive dimension (p<0.05) have statistically significant joint effects on manufacturing SMEs performance while structural dimension (p>0.05) do not have statistically significant joint effect on manufacturing SMEs performance. Manufacturing SMEs should give priority attention to relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital due to its ability to predict customer satisfaction and market size.

Pharmaceutical Company's Choices of Indication for the First Clinical Projects in Oncological Drug Development in the United States.

We analyzed factors shaping the choice of the lead indication (i.e., cancer type) in the first clinical development projects of new oncological drugs in the United States (US), and how the type of pharmaceutical company is related to this choice. We selected 576 new clinical development projects in the US since 2000 for analysis. These projects were characterized according to three potential perspectives detected by multiple correspondence analysis: the morbidity of the cancer type which corresponds to market size of each cancer type, the company's previous experience with the cancer type, and the company's attitude to development risks. Mega firms tend to choose cancer types with higher morbidity (and large-market), previously experienced cancer types, while diverse small firms choose both major and rare cancers and both high- and low-risk projects, indicating that different sizes of firms utilize different development entry patterns. Common tendencies concerning the choice of lead indication were found across all companies. Cancer types the company had developed and launched in the past were more likely to be chosen; cancer types with high five-year survival rates and those with high competition were less likely to be chosen. The study showed that pharmaceutical companies seem to enter clinical development from cancer types where they can demonstrate their strengths and advantages through experience, depending on each cancer type's different market sizes and development difficulties. The results could provide clues for considering what support measures and incentives are appropriate to balance the efficiency of industrial development and the fulfillment of society's unmet medical needs.

Inside Microfinance Matrix: Microfinance Institutions’ Characteristics and Women Credit Access

This study aims to explore the role of Microfinance Institutions’ (MFIs) organisational characteristics including ownership structure, target market, and institutional size, in shaping the lending pattern in reaching women entrepreneurs. This study employs Ordinary Least Square and Fractional Logit regression using STATA on pooled panel data of 2,330 MFIs across 116 countries. A fuzzy algorithm and Principal Component Analysis are applied to verify the consistency of the results. Findings suggest larger MFIs demonstrate greater inclusivity towards women, attributed to their extensive resources and institutional capabilities. Similarly, MFIs targeting affluent clients exhibit a higher likelihood of catering to the financial needs of women. Non-government organisations (NGOs) emerge as key drivers of women credit access, consistently prioritizing women entrepreneurs through targeted interventions. This study contributes to theoretical implications of the interplay between institutional ownership and goals related to social welfare. This finding also expands microfinance literature by emphasising how ownership influences the strategic orientation of MFIs. This study holds significance for financial regulators, and policymakers to utilise this study as a framework to evaluate the interplay between organisational scale, financial sustainability, and the fulfilment of social objectives within the microfinance sector.

Analysis Based on Three Aspects of Sunscreen

With the increasing awareness of health, people’s awareness of UV protection is also gradually improving. Sunscreen with UV protection has become an indispensable part of people’s daily lives. The market size of China’s sunscreen market will reach 74.2 billion yuan in 2023, and it is expected to grow to 95.8 billion yuan by 2026. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the safety, effectiveness, and environmental friendliness of sunscreen from three perspectives, and discuss the reliability of SPF human testing, improving the stability of sunscreen use, and the cost of new environmentally friendly materials. Through analysis, it is found that there are still shortcomings in the current SPF testing methods, production costs of environmentally friendly materials, and promotion of correct application methods for sunscreen. Subsequently, appropriate adjustments were made to the testing methods and material formulations of sunscreen, as well as recommendations for the selection and correct application of sunscreen. However, the long-term safety of nanomaterials still needs to be further explored. Due to the rapid development of research technology for sunscreen products and the diversification of market products, it is necessary to review the safety, effectiveness, and environmental friendliness of current sunscreen products.

YouTube: A platform that will remain top in the next decade.

This paper explores why the YouTube video platform can maintain its advantages over the next ten years. Through a multi-dimensional analysis of YouTube and based on publicly available data, it is found that: 1) YouTube has reliable security; 2) YouTube has stability; 3) YouTube has advanced Promotion Strategies; 4) YouTube has an optimistic market size and development prospects. The research results show that YouTube has the characteristics of stable development in many aspects and can maintain its existing advantages in the future.

Analysing the European Defence Fund’s financing distribution across EU countries: what drives national participation in defence-industrial integration projects?

The establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) marks a significant shift in how EU Member States approach the integration of the defence industry as it aims to systematically promote inter-European defence-industrial cooperation across national defence sectors. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence of the actual dynamics regarding EDF implementation. While there are accounts of EU countries’ varying political positions on defence integration, including its industrial aspect, it remains unclear whether Member States’ actual participation in integration projects aligns with these positions. Are national motives consistent once effective defenceindustrial integration is underway? The findings, based on Masson’s (2024) data on by-country distribution of EDF project financing (2021–2022), present a more nuanced picture of EU countries’ effective engagement with defence-industrial integration than anticipated by the political perspective. While there is a positive relationship between participation in the EDF and defence market size, strategic culture does not influence EU members’ involvement in the Fund. Furthermore, while liberal economicindustrial governance is negatively associated with national participation in EDF projects, a country’s institutional quality has a significant positive relationship with it. This article reveals more complex dynamics of EDF implementation than suggested by the political perspective on defence-industrial integration pre-EDF.

Agency conflicts, product market competition and investment efficiency: new evidence from emerging market

PurposeThis study examines the influence of product market competition on investment inefficiency of Indian firms in context of agency problems. Additionally, this study also investigates whether intense competition is a substitute for or complementary to corporate governance in reducing investment inefficiency of firms.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing the residuals extracted from Biddle et al. (2009) investment model, investment inefficiency, overinvestment and underinvestment are measured for 506 non-financial Indian listed firms with 6,998 firm-year observations from 2009 to 2022. Product market competition is measured using various proxies such as the Herfindahl–Hirschman index, top-four firm concentration ratio, total number of firms in industry, industry market size, weighted average of entry costs and research and development (R&D) to sales ratio. Firms' internal governance is measured using a newly corporate governance index developed with 65 new governance stipulations. Several pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) panel regressions were estimated involving investment inefficiency of firms, product market competition, governance index and firm-specific variables. Endogeneity issues were addressed through two-stage least squares. Robustness checks were also conducted using a two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM).FindingsThe main finding of the study indicates that heightened product market competition reduces investment inefficiency, overinvestment and underinvestment among the selected Indian firms suggesting that firms facing intense competition are less prone to invest below or above optimal levels. This is primarily because in highly competitive industries, managers face greater liquidation risks, prompting more efficient capital investment decisions. The results also indicate that robust corporate governance significantly mitigates investment inefficiencies in non-competitive industries compared to competitive ones suggesting heightened competition reduces managerial slack, resulting in diminished benefits from good governance in competitive settings. Overall results indicate a substitution effect between corporate governance and competition in reducing investment inefficiency, with robustness across various empirical specifications, industry classifications and alternative competition and inefficiency measures.Practical implicationsThe evidence from this work emphasizes the pivotal roles of market competitiveness and corporate governance in shaping investment efficiency. Regulators must closely monitor monopolistic behaviors to safeguard stakeholder interests, enhance investment efficiency and foster value creation. Recognizing the positive impact of market competition, firms should prioritize initiatives to promote industrial openness and intensify competition while strengthening market mechanisms. Policymakers should consider implementing competition-centric governance policies, such as deregulation and antitrust laws, to stimulate market competition. These measures can mitigate governance-related costs and promote a competitive marketplace.Originality/valueThis study provides fresh evidence concerning the effects of product market competition on investment efficiency of Indian firms under new governance norms, an unexplored area in India as most of the existing work has primarily examined the association between competition and investment levels. To best of our knowledge, this is one of the earliest studies demonstrating the substitution effects of competitiveness and governance systems on lowering investment inefficiency suggesting a significant influence of corporate governance in non-competitive industries. Finally, this study contributes to the field of methodology by developing a new firm-specific governance index based on 65 governance indicators.

The impact of data factor-driven industry on the green total factor productivity: evidence from the China

Data factors have become an essential factor of production in today’s digital era, and provided renewed energy for China’s green and high-quality development. This study analyses the impact of data factor-driven industries on green total factor productivity (GTFP) and the underlying mechanisms using panel data of 277 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2020. The results show that: First, the urban data factor-driven industry can enhance GTFP. Second, the data factor-driven industry can increase the input–output ratio and enhance GTFP by promoting AI technological innovation and AI technological entrepreneurship. Third, the heterogeneity analysis show that in regions with high levels of digital technological innovation, the market size of data factor-driven industries is larger and the effect of data factor-driven industries in enhancing GTFP is more significant. And in regions with low levels of savings, the data factor-driven industry has limited capital availability and is more efficient in using capital, which has a stronger effect on GTFP enhancement. This study provides valuable empirical evidence on the relationship between data factor-driven industries and urban GTFP, and important policy implications for fully leveraging the green economic effects of data factors, and promoting green and high-quality urban development.