Upper Line Research Articles

IoT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education: Sustainable Tilapia Cultivation Optimization Strategy

Tilapia cultivation in Teratak Village, Central Lombok, faces problems in feed efficiency and limited market access. Lack of automation technology causes feed waste, while limited marketing knowledge limits farmers' competitiveness. This community service activity aims to overcome these problems through the application of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the form of automatic feeders (smart feeders) and entrepreneurship training focused on digital marketing. The methods applied include the manufacture and installation of smart fish feeders that are controlled via an application to regulate the amount and frequency of feed. In addition, entrepreneurship training focuses on digital marketing strategies through social media and e-commerce platforms to expand market reach. The results of the activity show that smart feeders increase feed efficiency by up to 20%, reduce waste, and support more optimal fish growth. Digital marketing training helps farmers improve their online promotion skills, expand market networks, and significantly increase sales. In conclusion, the application of IoT technology and digital marketing-based entrepreneurship training has proven effective in increasing the efficiency of cultivation and market competitiveness of tilapia farmers in Teratak Village

Generative Adversarial Networks in Fashion Retailing and Customer Purchase Intention: An Extension of Theory of Consumption Value

The emergence of generative adversarial networks (GANs) in marketing, a component of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has the potential to influence customer behaviour in a variety of ways. In various contexts, the theory of consumption value (TCV) has elucidated customer behaviour. Few studies have applied TCV to GAN in marketing, particularly in fashion retailing. To close the gap, this study extends TCV to GAN-fashion retailing. A mixed research approach began with a 12-participant explorative focus group discussion to identify factors and develop the questionnaire. Second, we conducted a stratified random sampling-based cross-sectional survey and distributed the questionnaire to 258 diverse respondents. Analytical methods included structural equation modelling. It is discovered that decision-intelligent infrastructure (representing functional value) was a major driver of purchase intention in the GAN-fashion retailing context. This study has also found contradictory results and also discussed the reasons behind them. Overall, this has contributed in both the theoretical area, by extending the TCV framework in GAN-fashion retailing, and the managerial area, by making some suggestions. Also, it has opened up many new avenues for future study in the GAN-fashion retailing context.

The influence of big data, content marketing, and artificial neural networks on purchase decisions: the moderating role of purchase intentions

This study aims to explore the direct effect of big data variables, content marketing and artificial neural networks on purchase intention variables and purchasing decisions; and 2) the indirect effect of big data variables, content marketing and artificial neural networks on purchasing decisions moderated by purchase interest variables. The method in this study uses a quantitative approach and sampling techniques with simple random sampling, data distributed by google form and offline conducted January - March 2024, a total of 385 data collected. These findings were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) software in the Smart PLS (Partial Least Square) application with indirect and direct. The results showed that directly, big data has a negative but significant effect on purchase intention. Content marketing, directly on purchase intention or purchase decision, has a positive but insignificant effect. And directly, artificial neural networks have a negative but significant effect on purchasing decisions.

Digital Transformation in Family Businesses: An Analysis of Drivers with fsQCA

The digital transformation (DT) encompasses profound technological changes. Businesses face the challenge of adapting their activities to the pace of new technologies to increase the efficiency of business processes, improve the customer experience, and create innovative value propositions while recognizing the importance of sustainability. This research focuses on how family businesses, which are a relevant part of global economic activity and job creation, address the challenges associated with the DT. Based on the case of the automotive retail sector in a small European country characterized by the high acceptance of technologies, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to understand how critical success factors (causal conditions) combine towards adopting technologies representing different perspectives of the DT. The results confirm the existence of multiple configurations based on the importance of organizational culture, change management, knowledge, human capital, IT systems, and DT strategy towards the adoption of customer relationship management, digital marketing, and social networks technologies, thus helping family businesses to understand the adoption of these technologies leading to organizational success in the context of the DT.

The Reliability of the Product based on Customer Perception in Network Marketing: A Case Study of Oriflame, Forever Living and Avon Companies among SAUT Students in Mwanza-Tanzania

The study intended to determine the reliability of the product on customer perception in network marketing products: a case of Oriflame, Forever Living and Avon Companies among SAUT Students in Mwanza-Tanzania, Moreover, the theory of planned behaviour was adopted by the study. Furthermore, the study was a quantitative study which employed descriptive design. The study used 375 respondents which responded to questionnaires and regression analysis was employed to analyze and present data. Also, the reliability coefficient of the instruments was 0.9. The study revealed that while customers generally perceive Oriflame, Forever Living, and Avon products positively, there are significant areas for improvement include product performance, packaging, and detailed usage instructions. Customer feedback indicated that prolonged use is linked to brand loyalty, yet many participants rated the products neutrally in terms of value for money and brand trust. Content engagement was rated highly, suggesting that enhancing interactive and engaging content could benefit these companies. The study concludes that although customers are generally satisfied with the network market products, there is a need to improve product distinctiveness, packaging quality, and clarity of information to build stronger brand loyalty. Addressing these areas can enhance customer trust and satisfaction, thereby increasing competitive advantage in the network marketing landscape. It is therefore recommended that network market products should enhance their product and packaging distinctiveness and partner with well-connected influencers to improve marketing effectiveness. Additionally, companies should focus on creating highly engaging content and addressing any product quality and packaging issues promptly to meet customer expectations and foster loyalty

Social Media Practices of Small and Medium Enterprises in Masbate Province: Impact on Industry Competitiveness

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can benefit significantly from social media due to its user-friendly nature, cost-effectiveness, and widespread accessibility. By leveraging social media platforms, SMEs can effectively communicate with customers, market their products, facilitate internal collaboration, and provide customer sup-port at minimal costs.This research assessed the use of social media among SMEs in the fashion, food, beverages, cosmetics, and clothing industries in Masba-te province to enhance competitiveness. It focused on key areas such as customer engagement, social network marketing, website promo-tion, customer relationship management, and brand management, while also evaluating industry competitiveness based on customer satisfaction, loyalty, operational efficiency, and profitability.A quantitative descriptive approach was employed to evaluate variables and their relationships. Employees from SMEs were ran-domly selected as respondents, while industry customers were cho-sen through purposive sampling. A self-designed Likert-scale survey captured respondents' perspectives on the impact of social media practices on industry competitiveness, combining both quantitative and qualitative insights.The analysis included descriptive statistics, such as percentages and frequencies, to outline respondent profiles, and means and stand-ard deviations to examine trends in social media practices among SMEs. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the effec-tiveness of these practices, while a t-test was used to highlight differ-ences in perceptions between respondent groups regarding social media effectiveness and industry competitiveness.

Mapping Authentic Marketing Research Trends through Bibliometric Analysis (2013-2023)

Authentic marketing is a widely debated subject in several industries, including gastronomy, tourism, and culture. This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to identify the current state of the art in authentic marketing themes across multiple scientific disciplines. Bibliometric research analyzes the progress of research on authentic marketing from 2013 to 2023 by examining data from the past 10 years. Bibliometric analysis is to identify and analyze research trends across time, with the goal of generating new research ideas for future studies. Bibliometric research analyzes the progress of research on authentic marketing from 2013 to 2023 by examining data from the past 10 years. Based on bibliometric study, it is evident that the United States has a predominant presence in publications about legitimate marketing. In addition, the most commonly published type of article is the article, and the Journal of Business Research has the highest scientific influence in terms of publication sources, as it has the largest number of citations. Bibliometric analysis aims to identify and map the evolving trends in authentic marketing research, such as perception, sustainability, brand authenticity, social media, influencer marketing, purchase intention, and online social networking. This analysis can provide valuable insights and research ideas for future studies.

Robust-less-fragile: Tackling systemic risk and financial contagion in a macro agent-based model

We extend the Schumpeter meeting Keynes (K+S) agent-based model by introducing an evolving interbank network in the money market. Banks are exposed to counterparty risk and evaluate interbank positions using a network valuation (NEVA) clearing mechanism, which ensures systemic risk minimization with minimal assumptions on banks’ behavior. The model can replicate several stylized facts about the topology of the interbank network and the dynamics of banks’ balance sheets. The model encompasses financial contagion and systemic risk, allowing us to study the interactions between micro- and macro-prudential policies. Our results suggest that the introduction of a micro-prudential regulation also accounting for the network structure can reduce the incidence of systemic risk events. We also find that, in presence of a two-pillar regulatory framework – grounded on a Basel III macro-prudential regulation and a NEVA-based micro-prudential one –, there is no trade-off between financial stability and macroeconomic performance. This points towards the possibility of designing a regulatory framework able to achieve financial stability without overly stringent capital requirements.

Perspectives for Sale of Recyclable Materials Network in the Seridó-RN Region

Purpose: The present research aims to diagnose waste picker enterprises in the Seridó-RN region in view of the perspective of developing and selling recyclable materials in a network. Introduction: The National Solid Waste Policy in Brazil (PNRS) points to a circular economy model, but the challenge for public administration is still great. The social inclusion of recyclable material collectors in the management of solid waste makes it possible to improve the income of these workers with an increase in recycling rates in the country. From this perspective, the Recicla Seridó Network was formed by associations of collectors, with the purpose of overcoming the difficulties of the low volume of recovered materials, and the challenges of remaining in the market. Methodology: Interviews were carried out with the legal representatives of the enterprises, whose responses were analyzed in a quantitative and qualitative way, using the SWOT matrix to identify strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats for network management and development. Results and Conclusion: The study concluded that managing a network is not a simple task, as it involves technical capacity and administrative, economic, educational, cultural aspects, and organizations have not yet achieved their goal of network marketing, due to the lack of effectiveness of public policies, financial fragility, need to expand partnerships, considering the dynamics and complexity of selective collection and the challenges faced.

Investing in relative market positions in interconnected financial markets: A strategy for international portfolio diversification

International investors face challenges in properly diversifying their portfolios risk due to the increasingly interconnected nature of financial markets. Using the Tail-Event Driven Network (TENET) model, this study proposes two new indices, relative dominance and relative importance, to measure the relative market position of a stock market in the global stock market network. This study further proposes a dominance-importance-oriented (DIO) strategy to diversify portfolio risk in interconnected stock markets using data from the stock markets of 35 economies. The empirical findings show that stock markets in developed countries generally have higher relative dominance and lower relative importance, whereas those in developing and emerging countries have the opposite pattern. Moreover, financial liberalization is an important determinant of stock markets' relative positions in the global market network, although its impact varies with the economic development of their domicile countries. Furthermore, the DIO strategy offers a feasible and effective method for international portfolio diversification by jointly considering relative dominance and importance, verifying that portfolio diversification in terms of relative market position is beneficial.

Seed market dynamics and diffusion of new wheat varieties in Bihar, India: a supply-side perspective

An examination of the dynamics of seed markets in Bihar, India, reveals a paradox—despite an influx of wheat varieties bred by public and private sectors and the proliferation of seed market networks in rural villages, older wheat varieties remain prevalent—necessitating a thorough investigation of the seed distribution system. Unlike most empirical studies that examine the adoption of new and improved crop varieties from a farmer's perspective, our study shifts the focus to the seed supply side. We analyse data collected from 200 private seed dealers who cater to the needs of over 163,000 farmers spread across 10 districts in Bihar. We use descriptive statistics alongside dealer-level and varietal-level regression models to examine the relationship between seed sales and varietal age. Findings indicate that the number of varieties available with a dealer (varietal richness) is positively associated with the number of seed buyers (dealer’s reach) and the total quantity of seeds sold. Private varieties are in demand despite their higher prices. Dealer-level models showed that varietal age affects neither the reach nor the sales, allowing older public-sector varieties to coexist with more recent private-sector ones. However, the varietal-level regression models show that dealers rank the new varieties higher as the ones being sold more. To explore the potential of private seed markets to reduce the proliferation of old wheat varieties that are more susceptible to evolving biotic and abiotic stress factors, we recommend strengthening the varietal registration and seed certification processes, implementing better seed traceability systems, and fostering public–private partnerships in variety development and seed dissemination. Investing in market experiments to incentivize seed dealers to engage in quality assurance can help refine strategies and ensure efficient and inclusive dissemination of promising wheat varieties.

EXPRESS: Buy! Buy! Buy!—How Multi-Level Marketing Companies Pressure Their Participants to Buy Their Products

Despite the popularity of multi-level marketing (MLM) companies and their ability to attract many distributors worldwide with the promise of an income opportunity, the financial outcomes for these participants are often unfavorable. Many distributors invest more money in internal products and business expenses than they earn. Drawing upon the professional and business ethics literature, this paper develops a conceptual framework to understand how organizational characteristics (collectively) create a pressure on distributors to overspend on internal products. The framework integrates legal, financial, and social dimensions, emphasizing the dual roles of MLM distributors as both victims and potential offenders. Utilizing this framework, the paper discusses the limited effectiveness of current safeguard policies in preventing the problematic effects of the MLM industry, including the operation of some MLMs as pyramid schemes. It proposes new directions for research on MLMs and other distinct areas within marketing and public policy, particularly addressing the broader category of deceptive income opportunity providers (DIOPs).

On the ethics of multilevel marketing based on dietary supplements

On the ethics of multilevel marketing based on dietary supplements

A time‐varying and frequency‐dependent network of conventional and organic milk markets in France and Germany

AbstractThis work investigates the linkages among conventional and organic milk markets in France and Germany using the flexible TVP‐VAR connectedness approach. Price connectedness tends to be stronger in the spatial than in the quality dimension of the market network. The bulk of the adjustments to incoming price innovations are completed beyond the 3‐month frequency range. Organic milk markets are more likely to be net‐transmitters of shocks to conventional markets. Total connectedness has not been increasing. The strength of price spillovers between market pairs varies widely with time; their pattern does not, thus pointing to a fairly stable internal network structure.

Perlindungan dan Pengembangan Bisnis UMKM Melalui Skema Pemberian Izin PIRT di Desa Jarin Kabupaten Pamekasan

UMKM in Jarin Village, Pamekasan Regency face various challenges in developing their businesses. One of the challenges faced is the suboptimal protection and development of their businesses, many of which do not yet have a NIB or even a PIRT. The investigative approach employed is a type of empirical legal inquiry utilizing a field study methodology (Field Research). Data gathering for this investigation involved various techniques such as interviews, observations, and literature reviews. The study's location is situated in Jarin Village, within the Pademawu District of Pamekasan Regency. The data analysis technique applied in this research is descriptive-qualitative. Findings from the study during the MBKM KKNT indicated that the UMKM present in Jarin Village, Pademawu District, Pamekasan Regency are limited in number, only a handful. Among these is an UMKM focused on the Krupuk Opak and Jagung Goreng venture, which maintains a marketing scope that remains at the regional tier. Furthermore, business operators have yet to secure a PIRT certificate, despite the fact that legally, those in the food or snack industry are mandated to acquire PIRT in accordance with the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency Regulation Number 4 of 2024 related to Guidelines for Issuing Certificates of Commitment Fulfillment for Home-Processed Food Production, therefore KKNT participants provide assistance to the Pamekasan Regency Health Office for the issuance of PIRT. It is proven that after obtaining a P-IRT permit, the product marketing network has increased and sales have increased and the legality of the business is strong.

Analysis of Market Diversification Trends and Network Characteristics Based on M&A Transactions in North America

Despite the increasing investment opportunities in emerging technologies, strategic alliance and dynamic investment strategy suffer from a limited understanding of the market investment trends and industry convergence. Therefore, this study aims to develop a structured framework to examine the market diversification trend and the industry-to-industry influential degree. The proposed framework utilizes M&A transaction activities from the interests of buyer and target industries from 2009 to 2018 in North America. The M&A network is then examined for the difference in the structural characteristics between the buyer and target industries. This study identifies market irregularity and diversification trends and applies the initial findings as market-level evidence to elucidate industry convergence potentials. Degrees of a specific industry’s influence on other industries are also presented and discussed from the perspectives of buyer and target industries. The findings of this study contribute to the development of industry convergence conceptual model and advances knowledge regarding market diversification, collaboration-driven industry convergence, and investment strategy.

Dignified Branding and Its Role in the Cryptomarket

The advent of decentralized digital economies, particularly in the cryptomarket, necessitates new and ethical marketing approaches that prioritize transparency, trust, and long-term value. Dignified Branding (DB), a concept introduced by Mandeep Gupta, proposes a revolutionary shift away from the traditional commission-driven network marketing model by focusing on community-driven, volunteer-based product promotion. This paper examines the core principles of Dignified Branding and its potential impact on the cryptomarket. The absence of financial incentives, commissions, and competitive influences in DB creates a novel approach, one that aims to build trust, promote education, and ensure that the entire community benefits rather than individual investors.

On the Suitability of Process Mining for Enhancing Transparency of Blockchain Applications

AbstractBlockchain technology is known for its transparency properties due to its publicly available, immutable data. Yet, as data availability does not inherently ensure transparency, further analytical methods may be required for human interpretation of data traces. Process mining has emerged as a popular toolbox for understanding processes and how they are executed in practice. The paper studies process mining as a method to enhance the transparency of blockchain data. To this end, two popular Ethereum applications were analyzed using process mining: the prediction and betting marketplace Augur and the network marketing platform Forsage. Observations from the process-mining analyses are used to discuss if process mining can serve as a method to establish transparency of a blockchain. For both applications, new insights are generated for usage scenarios such as application redesign, security analysis, user behavior analysis, and revealing blind spots in Augur’s and Forsage’s documentation. The paper concludes that there is evidence that process mining can serve as a method to enhance transparency in blockchains at the cost of technical setup and knowledge acquisition.

Development of a Digital Management System in Cooperatives for Operational Efficiency Improvement

Cooperatives face the challenge of improving operational efficiency and competitiveness in the increasingly advanced digital era. This research aims to develop and implement a digital management system to optimize the operations of the Agro Sejahtera Bersama Consumer Cooperative, which currently still uses traditional methods. The proposed system includes the digitization of transaction recording, inventory management, and financial reporting through a web-based platform, allowing real-time monitoring of transactions and inventory. The system development follows the software development lifecycle approach and uses modern web technology that is easily accessible. We conducted the evaluation by analyzing the cooperative's performance before and after the system's implementation, and surveying cooperative members to gauge their levels of satisfaction, transparency, and accountability. The research results show that this digital management system is effective in reducing recording errors, speeding up decision-making, and improving overall operational efficiency. In addition, the implementation of this system contributes to the expansion of the cooperative's marketing network and provides more significant economic benefits to its members. Higher transparency in financial and operational management has also proven to increase members' trust in the cooperative. This research concludes that the digitization of management systems can foster sustainable growth in cooperatives, and other cooperatives seeking a digital transformation can replicate its implementation.

Identifying successful football teams in the European player transfer network

This paper considers the European transfer market for professional football players as a network to study the relation between a team’s position in this network and performance in its domestic league. Our analysis is centered on eight top European leagues. The market in each season is represented as a weighted directed network capturing the transfers of players to or from the teams in these leagues, and we also consider the cumulative network over the past 28 years. We find that the overall structure of this transfer market network has properties commonly observed in real-world networks, such as a skewed degree distribution, high clustering, and small-world characteristics. To assess football teams we first construct a measure of within-league performance that is comparable across leagues. Regression analysis is used to relate league performance with both the network position and level of engagement of the team in the transfer market, under two complimentary setups. Network position variables include, e.g., betweenness centrality, closeness centrality and node clustering coefficient, whereas market engagement variables capture a team’s activity in the transfer market, e.g., total number of player transfers and total paid for players. For the season snapshots, the number of transfers correspond to weighted in- and out-degree. Our analysis first corroborates several recent findings relating aspects of market engagement with teams’ league performance. A higher number of incoming transfers indicates worse performance and better resourced teams perform better. Then, and across specifications, we find that network position variables remain salient even when engagement variables are already considered. This substantiates the notion in the existing literature that a high degree corresponds to better team performance and suggests that network aspects of trading strategy may affect a team’s success in their respective domestic league (or vice versa). In this sense, the approach and findings presented in this paper may in the future guide team’s player acquisition policies.