Nascent Stream Of Research Research Articles

ESG rating disagreement and corporate green innovation bubbles: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed firms

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) plays a significant role in environmental governance of enterprises, while the sustainability of this function is uncertain in the absence of unified disclosure and scoring standards. Based on a set of data from Chinese A-share listed firms over the period 2015-2021, this paper describes how ESG rating disagreement affects the green innovation bubbles of corporations. The empirical result implies that ESG divergence significantly aggravates corporate green innovation bubbles. Our finding indicates that the managerial myopia is the potential influential mechanism. In addition, from the perspective of external pressure and internal governance, this study concludes that industry competition, media attention and internal control effectiveness would attenuate the positive relationship between ESG disagreement and green innovation bubbles of companies. This study investigates the economic consequences of ESG disagreement from the perspective of corporate green innovation bubbles, expanding the nascent stream of research on the relationship between ESG disagreement and corporate behaviors.

How do digital lives affect resident mental health in the digital era? Empirical evidence based on Chinese general social survey.

Having good mental health means we are better able to connect, function, cope and thrive. The widespread application of digital technology in daily life provides new ways and promising tools for residents to maintain their mental health. Given the importance of mental health for everyone, and the fact that mental health problems are prevalent worldwide, this study discusses how digital lives affects the mental health of residents. The results suggest that digital lives are significantly and positively associated with mental health. Mechanisms analysis identifies personal perceptions (self-rated physical exercise and subjective wellbeing) as the important paths for digital lives to promote mental health, while social perceptions (social trust and social fairness) play a suppressing effect on the relationship between them. The results of further discussion show that the degree of the influence of digital lives on mental health of individuals is heterogeneous among different regions. Due to the difference in development level, the positive impact of digital lives is greater in urban areas than in rural areas, and it is stronger in western regions than in eastern and central regions. This study enriches the nascent research stream of digitalization, explores new paths of harnessing digital technologies for mental health, and offers useful insights for the government to guide them in formulating digital development strategies and achieving the Healthy China Strategy.

How cultural values influence sustainable consumption behavior? An empirical investigation in a non‐Western context

AbstractThe current study aims to investigate the role of cultural values in shaping Sustainable consumption behavior in a non‐Western setting. The primary data on cultural orientation and consumption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products is collected from about 347 Indian consumers. Four consumption culture dimensions—Environmental Fatalism, Comfort‐centric Outlook, Spiritual Outlook, and Techno‐criticism—were derived from primary data using factor analysis. Consumption culture dimensions are shown to have a direct influence on sustainable consumption behavior and indirect influence through personal environmental stewardship. Environmental Fatalism and Comfort‐centric Outlook showed negative relationship, while Spiritual Outlook had a positive relationship with Sustainable Consumption Behavior—Techno‐criticism was found to be insignificant. Further analysis revealed that Personal Environmental Stewardship partially mediates the relationship between consumption culture dimensions and sustainable consumption behavior. The study findings extend the existing theoretical knowledge by offering a model that can be leveraged to validate the influence of cultural variables, including general attitudes toward waste and technology, on sustainable consumption behavior of high environmental impacts and spanning multiple consumption phases. Results from our study provide practical insights for educators, marketers, campaign managers and religious leaders to develop pedagogical practice and design culturally‐relevant messaging to activate norms relevant for pro‐environmental behaviors. The current study is among the first to focus on (i) an impact‐based operationalization of sustainable consumption behavior and (ii) the consumption area of electronics. Further, the current study also contributes to a rather nascent stream of research embedded in non‐Western contexts.

How Does Smart Healthcare Service Affect Resident Health in the Digital Age? Empirical Evidence From 105 Cities of China.

With the emergence of the digital age, smart healthcare services based on the new generation of information technologies play an increasingly important role in improving the quality of resident health. This study empirically examined the impact of regional smart healthcare services on resident health as well as the underlying mechanism by employing a two-way fixed effects model. We constructed a Regional Smart Healthcare Service Development Index and matched it with survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study to validate the model. The results showed that (1) smart healthcare services have a significant positive impact on resident health. (2) The availability of outpatient services and inpatient services plays a mediating role in the relationship between regional smart healthcare services and resident health. (3) The influence of regional smart healthcare services on resident health is heterogeneous among different regions. Specifically, the effect of smart healthcare services on resident health is significant in the eastern regions, while it is not significant in the central, western, and northeastern regions. The effect of smart healthcare services on resident health is significant in rural regions but not in urban regions. This study enriches the nascent research stream of smart healthcare services. This study offers useful insights for practitioners and the government to guide them in formulating smart healthcare strategies.

Understanding the influence of technological capability and exogenous pressure on business model dynamics: insights from a longitudinal case study

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to explore how technological capability and exogenous pressure interactively influence business model (BM) dynamics over time in new technology-based ventures.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a longitudinal case study of the BM innovations of a Chinese financial technology venture. The structural approach and temporal bracket are used to analyze and theorize the data.FindingsThe findings indicate that distinct contextual changes impel a firm to refine or abandon existing BMs over time. In different stages, the antecedents interactively influence BM dynamics with three successive patterns, namely pressure dominance, parallel influence and hybrid influence. While both antecedents trigger changes during the initiation and implementation of new BMs, they also serve as the filter and the enabler, respectively, during the ideation and integration of BMs.Research limitations/implicationsThe study inductively develops three propositions regarding the relationship between BM dynamics and its antecedents, which is based on the data collected from one single firm. Future research should test the propositions in other domains and take more cross-level antecedents into consideration.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the nascent research stream of BM dynamics by offering in-depth insights into the interaction of internal and external antecedents and by linking the differentiated roles of antecedents to the BM innovation process. The research offers some practical implications for new technology-based ventures seeking to develop BMs in a fast-changing environment.

Business Model Dynamics from Interaction with Open Innovation

In today’s competitive environment, firms face strong challenges. We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment where open innovation is a strategic choice and, on top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized most of these disrupting forces. Incumbent companies must act strategically by adapting their business model to minimize the risk and to capture the new value that emerges. This article intends to contribute to the development of the nascent stream of research that seeks to understand the evolution of Business Models through time—known as Business Model Dynamics (BMD)—and explores how to better align this evolution to the implementation settings of strategy. This exploratory study is built upon a meta-synthesis approach to identify, analyze, and clarify how academics have dealt with the three terms used in the Business Model Dynamics research strand: Business Model Innovation, Business Model Adaptation, and Business Model Evolution. The results of the meta-synthesis show that a disambiguation of concepts is necessary as, from an organizational learning point of view, it is required to provide a better connection between strategic value appropriation and changes on Business Models. This article contributes to the researcher and practitioner’s literature on Business Model Dynamics offering a clear and rigorous definition of each term from a strategic point of view, thus preventing the conceptual incoherence and their reiterated wrong use as synonyms.

Does R&D offshore outsourcing improve innovation in vendor firms from emerging economies? A study of biopharmaceutical industry in India

PurposeWhile the phenomenon of R&D offshoring has become increasingly popular, scholars have mostly focused on R&D offshore outsourcing from the point of view of the client firms, who are often from an advanced country. By examining vendor firms, in this paper the authors shift the focus to the second party in the dyadic relationship of R&D offshore outsourcing. Specifically, the authors compare vendor firms with nonvendor firms from the same emerging economy and industry to look at whether vendor firms from emerging economies can improve their innovation performance by learning from their clients. The authors also look at the role of depth and breadth of existing technological capabilities of the vendor firm in its ability to improve its innovation performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on firm-level data from the Indian biopharmaceutical industry between 2005 and 2016. The authors use the Heckman two-stage model to control for self-selection by firms. The authors compare the innovation performance of vendor firms with nonvendor biopharmaceutical firms (group vs nongroup analysis) as well as innovation performance across vendor firms (within group comparison).FindingsThe authors find that, compared to nonvendor firms, R&D offshore outsourcing vendor firms from emerging economies have higher innovation performance. The authors argue that this higher innovation performance among vendor firms is due to learning from their clients. Among vendor firms, the authors find that the innovation gains are contingent upon the two factors of depth and breadth of the vendor firms' technological capabilities.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper makes three contributions: First, the authors augment the nascent stream of research on innovation from emerging economy firms. The authors introduce a new mechanism for emerging economy firms to learn and upgrade their capabilities. Second, the authors contribute to the literature on global value chains, by showing that vendor firms are able to learn from their clients and upgrade their capabilities. Third, by examining the innovation by vendor firms, the authors contribute to the R&D offshore outsourcing, which has largely focused on the client.Practical implicationsThe study findings have important implications for both clients and vendors. For client firms, the authors provide evidence that knowledge spillovers do happen, and R&D offshore outsourcing can turn vendors into potential competitors. This research helps firms from emerging economies by showing that becoming vendors for R&D offshore outsourcing is a viable option to learn from foreign firms and improve innovation performance. Going outside geographic boundaries may be a large hurdle for these resource-strapped, emerging economy firms. Providing offshore outsourcing services for narrow slices of R&D activities may be a starting point for these firms to upgrade their capabilities.Originality/valueThis paper is among the first to quantitatively study the innovation performance of vendor firms from emerging economies. The authors also contribute to the nascent literature on innovation in emerging economy firms by showing that providing R&D offshore outsourcing services to client firms from advanced countries can improve firms' innovation performance.

Online Review Helpfulness and Firms’ Financial Performance: An Empirical Study in a Service Industry

ABSTRACT This study aims to bridge a significant research gap in the electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) literature: measuring the effect of the degree of online review helpfulness (ORH) on firms’ financial performance. As studies of the impact of ORH on firm performance in the context of service industries in general and more specifically in the hospitality sector are virtually nonexistent, this work intends to offer insights to eWOM researchers by analyzing if and to what extent ORH affects the financial performance of hospitality firms. Based on a re-visitation of the antecedents of ORH stemming from information adoption models, social influence theory and dual process theory, we analyze the moderating effects of the degree of ORH on the relationships between online review valence/volume and firms’ financial performance. Based on the examination of 395,964 online reviews related to 261 higher-end hotels located in London, the third most visited destination worldwide, we find that the degree of ORH positively moderates the positive effect of the reviews’ valence on financial performance, while it does not moderate significantly the positive effect of the reviews’ volume on financial performance. Theoretical contributions to the nascent research stream taking an outcome-oriented approach to the study of eWOM helpfulness and managerial implications are discussed.

The legitimation strategies of early stage disruptive innovation

A nascent research stream on early stage disruptive innovation identified the external environment as a central mechanism that predict their success or failure. However, despite its prominence, this research stream suffers from two major weaknesses. First, it rests on an under-socialized view of the external environment which ignores the cultural and cognitive dimensions at play. Second, it underestimates the active role of proponents of disruptive innovation in shaping these cultural and cognitive dimensions. We take an institutional perspective to analyze the legitimation strategies employed by proponents of early stage disruptive innovation. Building on the insights derived from an exploratory case study of the introduction of the cardboard coffin in France, we identify two legitimation strategies deployed by proponents of disruptive innovation. The first strategy consists in legitimating performance criteria through demystifying prices and theorizing new performance criteria. The second strategy attracts and addresses the demand for the new product by empowering customers and targeting peripheral players. While the literature points to the difficulty incumbents have spotting and reacting to early stage disruptive innovation, we found that incumbents resisted the innovation through

You’re Not A Teetotaler, are You? A Framework of Nonalcoholic Wine Consumption Motives and Outcomes

ABSTRACT There is increasing academic and public interest in the rise of nonalcoholic (NA) beverage options. As a whole, the nascent stream of research on NA consumption has generated some important insights into the demand and attractiveness of NA options to consumers. However, we know little about how the social context both influences and is influenced by NA wine consumption. This paper examines how the motives, social contextual factors, and outcomes may differ for NA wine consumption. We apply signaling theory to develop our formal propositions and present the results of a netnography study, which provides the initial corroboration of our conceptual model. Finally, we discuss the implications of our model and directions for future scholarship in this important area of wine research.

How do online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience influence hotel online ratings?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role and influence of online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience on online review ratings of Russian hotels by taking a direct measurement approach. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopt an explanatory sequential research design consisting of two stages. In the first stage, based on a sample of almost 75,000 Booking.com online reviews covering hotels located in Moscow (Russia), this study examines quantitatively to what extent the cultural traits of online reviewers and hotel guests’ perceived experience in online reviewing affect online ratings also using censored regressions. In the second stage, it interprets the results in light of semi-structured interviews conducted with a convenience sample of managers. Findings Each of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (namely, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance) exerts a significantly negative influence on the hotel online ratings. More specifically, the higher the levels of individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance, the lower the hotel’s online ratings. Reviewers’ perceived experience in online reviewing is negatively related to online ratings. Research limitations/implications The study’s findings bear relevant practical implications for hotel managers and online platform managers in countries that are not typically covered by online consumer behavior studies in hospitality such as Russia. From a theoretical viewpoint, this study contributes to cultural studies in hospitality management and marketing with a further development of the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of cultural influences on consumers’ behaviors. Furthermore, this study offers a better and in-depth understanding of the role of cultural traits on electronic word of mouth, as well as international market segmentation theory in online settings. Originality/value The conjoint exploration of the effects of cultural differences and perceived experience in online reviewing adds to the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on online consumers’ behaviors. The authors make multiple theoretical and methodological contributions, highlighting that online hospitality customers cannot be considered as one homogeneous mass. Instead, the application of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions allows identifying distinctively different online behaviors across international online customers: different online customer groups can be clustered into segments, as they display different online behaviors and give different online evaluations.

Prosocial Motivation of Private Sector IT Professionals Joining Government

Attracting highly skilled IT talent has become a priority and an immense burden for government organizations—especially when they have other—higher paying—employment opportunities. We set out to explore why IT professionals choose a government job to make an impact on society. We aim at disentangling the effects of different types of motives, such as extrinsic, intrinsic, and other-oriented motivational forces on the decision to accept a challenging government IT job. We use self-determination theory (SDT) to analyze publicly available statements of former private sector IT professionals reporting their reason for joining 18F. Our study is one of the first attempts to use SDT as a comprehensive framework for conducting qualitative research into work motivation in the public sector. We shed light on the conceptual and empirical distinctiveness of motives, behaviors, and perceptions of prosocial impact, which are often lumped together in the public service motivation (PSM) literature. We contribute novel empirical evidence to a nascent stream of research that uses SDT to disentangle the intrinsic, prosocial, and purely extrinsic motives that drive individuals’ decisions to join public-sector organizations.

Overcoming Job Insecurity: Examining Grit as a Predictor

Advancing a nascent stream of research linking grit to employment retention, this article investigated how job insecurity interacted with a person’s level of grit to predict turnover intentions and career change intentions of hotel managers. Based on a confirmatory factor analysis, grit was found to be a valid higher order construct that had an effect on turnover and career change intentions, and the effect was moderated by feelings of job insecurity. Specifically, when hotel managers reported less job insecurity, grit did not have a significant association with turnover and career change intentions. However, when job insecurity levels increased, hotel managers who were grittier also reported lower levels of turnover and career change intentions.

Impacts of increased house advantages on reel slots

PurposeThis study aims to examine how differences in the casino advantage (i.e. price) of otherwise identical slot machines affect their revenue production, when the price is hidden from the players. The study aims to identify the ability of players to recognize differences in the concealed prices of paired machines, over time. Both items are paramount to slot revenue optimization.Design/methodology/approachUsing 274 daily observations, paired-samples t-tests examined whether live performance metrics were affected by the differences in the casino advantage (namely, par) of the paired games. Time-series regression analyses were conducted to understand whether players shifted their play away from the high-par games, over time.FindingsThe results indicated that increased casino advantages produced increased revenue, with no evidence of diminished play on the high-par games.Practical implicationsThe results contradicted the inveterate wisdom of the industry by demonstrating that players are not hypersensitive to increased prices/pars, and that such increases can actually lead to increased revenue, despite egregious par gaps.Originality/valueAdded valuable results to a nascent research stream aimed at understanding the effects of obfuscated price/pars. Expanded the gaming literature by increasing the differences in the prices/pars of paired game titles over an increased sample period. Both conditions increased the chances of observing changes in revenue performance, and play migration to the low-par game. Both manipulations have been previously cited as meaningful extensions of the literature.

An examination of SEC revenue recognition comments and IPO earnings management

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the association between revenue-based earnings management in the periods immediately before and after firms’ initial public offerings (IPOs) and regulatory scrutiny by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during review of IPO firms’ registration statements.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses conditional discretionary revenues (Stubben, 2010) as its measure of earnings management, and revenue recognition comments delivered by the SEC as its measure of regulatory scrutiny. The authors use ordinary least squares regression (OLS) models, as well as a supplemental count model, to assess the association between conditional discretionary revenues and revenue recognition comments delivered by the SEC.FindingsThis study finds evidence of a positive association between earnings management measures in the pre-IPO period and the number of revenue recognition comments received by those firms during the SEC’s review. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that greater numbers of comments are associated with declining earnings management measures in the post-IPO period. However, the evidence suggests that these associations apply only to income-decreasing earnings management.Originality/valueThis paper extends the IPO earnings management literature by using conditional discretionary revenues as the measure of earnings management, and contributes to a nascent research stream in the accounting literature by investigating the SEC’s comment letter process and its association with, and impact upon, earnings management in the IPO process.

Shifting patterns: How satisfaction alters career change intentions

Advancing a nascent stream of research linking career attitudes and paths to future professional mobility, this paper investigated how the career satisfaction interacted with both a protean career orientation and career variety to predict the career change intentions of hotel managers. Based on two studies this paper found that, protean career orientation and career variety had effects on career change intentions that were moderated by career satisfaction. Specifically, when hotel managers were less satisfied with their careers they reported as being less likely to continue following their established career path. However, when career satisfaction increased hotel managers were more likely to intend follow their previously established career paths and reported behavioral intentions consistent with their career orientations.

In Search of Status: The Impact of Niche Playerss Status on Performance in Platform Ecosystems

Small firms can vastly benefit from participating in ecosystems – specifically from the shared technological assets and market opportunities offered by the platform. Yet, while aligning to the ecosystem rules, each member must gain and maintain some distinctiveness to capture these benefits. We examine two common patterns through which niche players compete and survive in a platform ecosystem by achieving status and distinct position. We theorize that achieving high status in a single niche of product categories and a single ecosystem together diminishes niche players’ financial performance over time. Similarly, high status in multiple ecosystems and multiple niches, at the same time, adversely impacts the financial performance over time. Analyzing a panel data of app developers in smartphone ecosystems, we find supportive evidence for our hypotheses. This paper contributes to the nascent stream of research that investigates issued faced by ecosystem members, rather than focusing on the ecosystem hub’s strategies.

The dark side of consumer life in the age of virtual and mobile technology

ABSTRACTThis study extends the nascent stream of research that investigates the contributions of mobile and virtual technology to consumer misbehaviour and dark side of consumer life. Using a qualitative approach, the present research explores the nature of consumer–technology relationship, specifically virtual and mobile technology, at the level of lived experience. The findings reflect eight important facets of technology-related dark-side consumer behaviour that, in one way or another, cause harm to the individual user, other consumers or society at large. These themes showcase human entrapment in mobile and virtual technology. The findings have significant implications for marketing managers as well as consumer well-being.

THE SURVIVAL OF INTERORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS: A PROPOSAL BASED ON RESOURCE DEPENDENCE THEORY

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to depict a theoretical proposal for analyzing the influence of three facets of an organization's dependence on the survival of interorganizational networks: on the environment, on the other members and on the network. Originality/gap/relevance/implications: This paper assists business leaders in showing the dependence tensions of enterprises on the market and networks. The understanding of relational changes and benefits provided by the network during its evolution also has an impact on enterprises' dependency. This paper is therefore original as it makes the contribution essential to a nascent stream of research. Key methodological aspects: The conceptualization of this study is based on the Resource Dependence Theory to direct network survival. The methodology of the paper is based on a theoretical essay for the formation of an analytical background of the subject. It presents an insight in a manner that sheds light on the subject and sets the stage for future research. Summary of key results: Does not apply. In this article, we did not make an empirical investigation. Key considerations/conclusions: The conceptualization of this study has been based solely on the Resource Dependency Theory to direct network survival. Furthermore, additional research is needed to empirically validate the framework.

Capturing consumer engagement: duality, dimensionality and measurement

ABSTRACTThis study advances the conceptualisation and operationalisation of consumer engagement in the context of online brand communities (OBCs). Past scholarship has only partially addressed the dimensionality of engagement and the different engagement foci, and these oversights have important theoretical and empirical consequences. This study contributes to the nascent stream of research that aims to theoretically refine and operationalise engagement by espousing the duality of engagement with two engagement foci (brand and community) and seven sub-dimensions of consumer engagement. Using qualitative data from consumers and experts, three survey data sets based on English and French samples, and two pools of mirrored items (one for each engagement focus), the study develops and validates a dual-focus 22-item scale of consumer engagement that can be used to operationalise engagement with various consumer engagement objects.