Market Theory Research Articles

ОСНОВНЫЕ НАПРАВЛЕНИЯ СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО МЕХАНИЗМА ФУНКЦИОНИРОВАНИЯ АГРОПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОГО РЫНКА В СИБИРСКОМ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОМ ОКРУГЕ

The developed agri-food market is an indicator of the economic well-being of the region and guarantees the provision of the local population with products of its own production in volume and assortment, regardless of imports. Despite the fact that the Siberian Federal District is the largest producer of agricultural products and food products in Russia, significant volumes of food products are imported to its regions from other regions of the country, supplies are coming from countries near and far abroad. This indicates that local producers are not able to fully meet the domestic demand of consumers for products.
 The methodological basis of the study was the scientific works of researchers in the field of the theory of the agro-food market. During the research, methods and techniques were used: abstract-logical, economic-statistical, statistical groupings, monographic.
 The study made it possible to determine the trends in the production and consumption of basic agricultural products in the regions of the Siberian Federal District, as well as the volume of imports in physical and value terms. The basic principles determining the effectiveness of the organizational and economic mechanism of development and functioning of the agro-food market of the district are highlighted. Based on the results of the scientific research, the main directions of improving the organizational and economic mechanism of the functioning of the agro-food market of the Siberian Federal District are proposed, taking into account the development of interregional and interstate food relations, which are the basis for its effective functioning and providing the population with high-quality food products in the assortment produced in the region.

Influence of Live Streaming Characteristics on Continuance Intention to Shopping on TikTok

As a new business model, live-streaming shopping has high commercial value. Although research on live streaming shopping has been in great demand, a holistic model that explains why audiences are willing to continue using such new selling formats is limited. According to interactive marketing theory, this research proposes a theoretical model to examine the impact of live-streaming characteristics on trust and how trust affects the audience's continuance intention in the live-streaming shopping scenario. The data were collected using an online questionnaire spread out through social media such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. A partial Least Square (PLS) approach was used to analyze the data. From the result, live streaming characteristics used in this study are interactivity, informativeness, entertainment, perceived relevance, visibility, professionalization, and originality. Empirical results (N=325) reveal that trust is affected by the seven characteristics of live-streaming shopping that affect continuance intention. Questionnaires were distributed through social media to get Indonesian respondents who had used live-streaming shopping on TikTok. However, it is found that live-streaming genres do not moderate the impact of trust towards continuance intention. Research findings indicate how trust is built to generate optimal consequences in live-streaming shopping.

Rational or Impulsive? Early Backers’ Investment Behavior in Agri-Food Crowdfunding from 4P–4C Perspectives

Lack of funds and poor agricultural-product sales are the main problems that limit agricultural development, which can be well solved by agri-food crowdfunding. How to attract more backers to invest in the early stage of a project is extremely crucial for agri-food crowdfunding. Using a unique sample comprising 1,136 agri-food crowdfunding campaigns on Crowdfunding Net, among the most influential crowdfunding platforms in China, a model is constructed that includes the five dimensions of people, product, promotion, cost, and convenience. Drawing on the classic 4P and 4C marketing theories, multiple regression analysis is used to examine the mechanism through which a project’s presentation information influences the number of early backers. The results reveal that the factors in the three dimensions of people, product, and convenience positively impact the number of early backers in agri-food crowdfunding. In contrast, the cost-dimension factor is negatively related to the number of early backers. The promotion-dimension factors fail to pass the significance test. Additionally, the number of first-day backers partially moderates the effect of the initiator category, investment threshold, and lottery on the number of early backers. The effects of the trademark registration and number of reward categories on the number of early backers are completely moderated by the number of first-day backers. The evidence also shows that early backers’ rational investment decisions are based on reliable information and lucrative rewards. The research conclusions offer practical enlightenment for initiators, crowd-funding platforms, and regulators in the agri-food crowdfunding industry.

China’s Stock Market Trend Prediction Model based on Adversarial Learning

Abstract There are numerous stock market theories as a result of the gradual usage of mathematical models by researchers to forecast equities during the past few decades. By quantifying the rise and fall range, the prediction problem can be changed into a multi-classification problem based on the related data. This paper describes an Adversarial Learning-based stock forecast model by building a three-tier LSTM training network using the Adversarial Learning concept, selecting 300 stocks to represent the overall performance of the Chinese stock market, increasing the proportion of large to small training datasets, and strengthening the model’s ability to obtain detailed information from a small amount of data.

Literary Life and Literary Brands of Yekaterinburg: the late 2010s - early 2020s

The article attempts to describe the literary space of Yekaterinburg in the late 2010s - early 2020s within the framework of the paradigm of Russian-language literature existing over the borders but structured around the center referred to as “conditional Moscow”. The research methodology combines the analysis of literary life, the socio-literary approach and the theory of place marketing. We are talking not just about agents of literary fields and actors within a literary situation but also about literary brands that help attract symbolic capital to a particular territory. The phenomena of genius loci of A.B. Salnikov, E.V. Simonova, the functioning of cultural institutions that form the literary space of the city, the work of a number of independent projects and initiatives are considered. Particular attention is paid to the levels of interaction between the literature of the city and the center “conditional Moscow”.

Social Marketing: Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Predict Open Defecation Free Behaviour Among Households in Ghana

Background Despite global efforts to combat the menace of open defecation, the phenomenon persists, particularly in developing nations. It is estimated that about 14% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population still practice open defecation. Focus The study sought to examine the behavioral and psychological mechanisms that influence attitudes toward open-defecation-free behavior in Ghana by applying a behavior change theory. Key Hypotheses The following hypotheses were formulated and tested by this study: households’ attitude towards open defecation-free has a significant positive relationship with the actual open defecation-free behavior, household’s subjective norms towards open defecation-free have a significant positive relationship with their actual open defecation-free behavior and households’ perceived behavioral control over open defecation free has a significant positive relationship with their actual open defecation free behavior. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 550 respondents. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. Results All three variables of the theory of planned behavior were found to have a positive significant influence on Ghanaian households’ actual open defecation-free behaviors. Demographics such as income, educational level, and availability of latrines were found to moderate the relationships between subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and households’ actual open defecation behavior. Importance to Social Marketing Field The study extends the current literature on social marketing by demonstrating that the theory of planned behavior could be used to predict people’s attitudes toward open-defecation-free behavior. Though the theory of planned behavior has been empirically proven as a good predictor of behavior, by moderating its relationship with open defecation-free behavior with demographic variables our model fleshes out more nuances of the theory, thereby contributing to the development of a social marketing theory. Recommendations for Research or Practice This study employed a cross-sectional survey; hence it may presume static relationships among the constructs which can be cured by a future longitudinal study that could explain the pattern of behavior change. The study recommends that government facilitates the provision of latrines for households by providing financial assistance to those who cannot afford the construction of latrines. A social marketing campaign should also be adopted to encourage the use of latrines.

An Empirical Study on The Calendar Effect of The Shanghai Index in China

The premise of traditional financial theory is efficient market theory and rational man hypothesis, while the market anomaly which can not be explained by traditional financial theory such as the calendar effect poses a great challenge to traditional financial theory. This paper uses the daily closing price data of the Shanghai Composite Index from December 19, 1999, to May 6, 2022, to investigate the calendar effect of the logarithmic return of the Shanghai Composite Index. The research results show that China's Shenzhen stock market is inefficient and has a negative Tuesday effect, which empirically proves the non-efficiency of China's stock market and the calendar effect in behavioral finance in China's stock market.

Neoliberalism, Strong State and Democracy

The article serves to clarify the concept of the "strong state" in neoliberal thinking and its relationship to democracy. It is argued that the move away from neoclassical market theory has paved the way for the specifically neoliberal conception of the state and democracy. As a result, neoliberalism has at least a strained, sometimes even hostile, relationship with democracy when it comes to ensuring the efficiency and stability of the capitalist system. The article analyses Carl Schmitt's "authoritarian liberalism" and Friedrich A. Hayek's "dethronement of politics", the latter leading to various concepts of governance by "experts" at national, regional, and global levels who act as non-political "well-meaning dictators". The practical implications of this idea are then illustrated by the architecture of the European Union and its central bank. Finally, the neoliberal position on the state and democracy is confronted by Keynesianism, which is considered the archenemy of neoliberals.

A research agenda on portfolio diversification, government regulations, and the financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County, Kenya

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between portfolio diversification, government regulations, and the financial performance of DT SACCOs in Nairobi County, Kenya. It aims to determine the impact of financial asset investment on the financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County, Kenya; the impact of loan portfolios on the financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County; and the moderating effect of government regulations on the relationship between portfolio diversification and the financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County, Kenya. Capital market theory, modern portfolio theory, risk aversion theory, arbitrage portfolio theory, and decision-making theory will serve as the study's foundation. For the period under review, secondary data will be collected from audited annual financial statements included in SASRA reports.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TECHNOLOGIES OF THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT PSYCHOLOGY

The article examines the presence of interdisciplinary technologies in the theory and practice of marketing and management psychology. It is substantiated that interdisciplinary technologies are used in practical activities using interdisciplinary theoretical knowledge at the intersection of sciences that have points of contact and are aimed at achieving common strategic goals. It is substantiated that the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills within the framework of marketing and management psychology comprehensively reveals the meaning of the same concepts, methods, tools, and allows to create modern interdisciplinary marketing technologies. The presence of interdisciplinary connections, which are based on an interdisciplinary approach and the complexity of knowledge from individual academic disciplines or elements of disciplines, and are actively used by various sciences that have a common interest in several directions, has been proven. This approach allows you to use various integrative theoretical approaches and practical methods in marketing and management psychology. It was found that the interdisciplinary connection between the theory and practice of marketing and management psychology is formed on the basis of management of traditional and modern concepts: strategic marketing, marketing, emotional marketing, management psychology, management of interaction with consumers, branding, marketing - MIX, company promotion and of the product to consumer markets. It is substantiated that in all modern marketing functions there are interdisciplinary connections of marketing and management psychology. It has been proven that modern marketing in practice actively uses technologies based on interdisciplinary connections and interdisciplinary approaches from marketing and management psychology, which is reflected in emotional marketing. The concept of business and marketing technologies is considered. It is proposed to introduce the concept of interdisciplinary technologies and the concept of marketing interdisciplinary technologies, which are based on interdisciplinary technologies, marketing and management psychology.

Does employment status matter for job quality? A cross-national perspective.

Dual labour market theory raises questions about the relationship between non-standard employment and job quality. While scattered empirical evidence exists, there is a paucity of systematic evidence on the relationship between workers' employment status and job quality. The authors investigated the relation between workers' employment status (e.g., open-ended, long- and short-term fixed contracts, economically dependent and independent solo self-employment, and self-employment with employees) and important dimensions of job quality (JQ) (e.g., employment prospects, physical work environment, skills and discretion, and working times quality). Cross-national variation in that relation and causes of that variation (e.g., country-level unemployment rate and labour market efficiency) were also investigated. Hierarchical regression modelling was applied using a sample of 34,094 workers from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015. The study highlighted a negative association between fixed-term contracts and JQ. For self-employed workers (except economically dependent self-employed workers) a generally positive association was observed. In this study, also positive associations were found between labour market efficiency at the country-level and some JQ indicators. National unemployment rates were negatively associated to most JQ indicators. Non-standard employment contracts exhibited poorer job quality than open-ended contracts. Stronger labour market organization centred around indicators of both flexibility and equity related to more beneficial job quality for all employment statuses, thereby promoting more labour market inclusivity.

Opportunistic availability of an infant and social relationship to a mother influence grooming before infant handling in Japanese macaques.

Biological market theory (BMT) predicts that the balance between supply and demand determines the economic value of a "commodity," which consequently determines the amount of "services" that an individual needs to provide to obtain the commodity. In infant handling among primates, the existing literature suggests that handlers need to groom a mother to obtain access to its infant, particularly when the value of the infant is high (e.g., when the number of infants is low). However, grooming by handlers may not be a prerequisite for the occurrence of infant handling, because handlers can handle an infant that is separated from its mother. Based on 3 years of behavioral observations of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), we examined the process by which infant handling occurs and the role of grooming in infant handling. We found that infant handling occurred more frequently when the mother and infant were separated than when they were in contact. Grooming rarely occurred before infant handling. The subsequent occurrence of infant handling was not predicted by either the occurrence or duration of grooming toward mothers by non-mother individuals. Grooming by handlers was also more likely to occur when an infant was in contact with its mother and when an infant's mother was dominant to the handlers. Contrary to BMT, the number of infants in a group did not affect grooming by handlers. These results indicate that the handlers' decision to groom depended on the opportunistic availability of an infant and the social relationship between the infant's mother and themselves. We conclude that grooming was not always necessary for infant handling.

Nexus Between Public Relations and Sales Performance: Evidence of Marketing Strategies Used by Insurance Brokers in Kenya

Insurance brokers in Kenya are adopting public relations strategy as one of the marketing strategies to help them enhance sales in a business environment that faces tight competition and stagnation, which has hindered them from registering modest profits. The aim of the survey was to evaluate the role of public relations on the sales performance of insurance brokers in Kenya. The theoretical framework focused on social marketing theory. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey design, which entails the description of characteristics of the variables of interest. The researcher applied a census design where each one in the target population was selected to take on the exercise. The entire target population consisting of 188 staff comprised of marketing managers of insurance broking companies in Kenya who took part in the study. Cronbach`s alpha coefficient was utilised as a method of measuring reliability in the study; the data was collected using a structured questionnaire which was pilot tested among a sample of 18 respondents. The surveyor utilised a quantitative research method in this study. Data was analysed and presented using cumulative frequency tables. Multiple linear regression analysis was adopted. Sales statistics, brand mentions/publicity, lead generation, physical and digital marketing. The results concluded that public relations strategy had a highly significant influence on the sales performance of insurance brokers. Thus, affirms that public relations is the power behind enhancing business relationships, heightening business retention, and spreading good publicity which contributes positively towards the sales performance of insurance brokers

Testing Work–Life Theory in Marketing: Evidence from Field Experiments on Social Media

In realizing that consumers regularly straddle the work–life interface, some companies position their products according to their ability to address work and life needs together, then communicate this offering to consumers. Whether using a work–life positioning strategy is effective remains unclear , however. If this strategy signals work–life enrichment, it should increase consumers’ interest, but only if the product demands few resources from consumers. If the product instead demands substantial resources, a work–life positioning might inadvertently trigger perceptions of work–life conflict and lower consumers’ interest. To test these predictions, the authors partnered with three businesses to advertise their products, which impose varying resource demands, on social media using content that highlights the work–life interface or not. Analyses of ad click data support the predictions: Work–life ads are less effective than single-domain (work or life) ads if the advertising involves resource-demanding products, but they are more effective if it pertains to resource-undemanding products. Furthermore, the effects are stronger among consumer segments that experience more work–life conflict in general. With this initial application of work–life theory to a marketing context, this article offers relevant insights for both research and practice.

Research on China’s tourism marketing model in the data perspective: based on ecological perspective

Abstract With the continuous improvement of technology and residents’ living standards. Should actively adapt to the opportunities and challenges brought by the Internet to the tourism marketing model, For the sustainable and rapid development of tourism on the wings of takeoff. In this paper, based on a brief explanation of the basic theory of database marketing, to achieve sustainable development of tourism marketing. Adopted the development of ecotourism boutique routes, Implementing multi-faceted marketing channels and means. Improvement of ecotourism infrastructure and service levels and other development measures. Create a tourism marketing model that responds to the trend of the times. Innovative marketing with big data technology can greatly stimulate the tourist crowd. Two times more efficient with dual cores. Get 56 times the execution efficiency with 64 cores. Get the efficiency of linear growth. The most direct way to increase the share of tourism companies in the consumer market. Maximize the value of marketing economic inputs and outputs. The results show that the improved PSO algorithm is more effective in database stability and dispersion. This makes it important for tourism marketing.

Impact of Bitcoin mining and crypto market determinants on Bitcoin-based energy consumption

PurposeWhile Blockchain can serve us, Bitcoin threatens our survival. If Bitcoin is assumed to be a country, it will rank 38th globally for energy consumption. With 90.2 metric million tonnes of carbon dioxide, Bitcoin mining and trading has emerged as an environmental threat. The current study investigates how the trading-specific variables, the prices of Crypto Index and Ethereum, affect bitcoin-based energy consumption. Also, the role of mining-specific variables is analyzed.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses monthly data from various sources collected from December 2018 to January 2023. The authors used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Model to determine the short- and long-term relationships between variables. This study uses the Theory of Green Marketing and the Theory of Cross Elasticity of Demand as a theoretical lens.FindingsThe findings show that escalating crypto market index and Ethereum prices with a one-month lag increases bitcoin-specific electricity consumption and carbon emissions. Green investors may shift to cryptocurrencies based on consensus other than of Proof-of-Work. Ethereum behaves like a substitute for Bitcoin, reflected by the long-term positive relationship between Bitcoin's energy consumption and Ethereum prices.Originality/valueThe study analyses how the crypto market index and Ethereum price affect bitcoin-based energy use. The relationships identified are substantiated by the literature to provide suggestions to green investors and policymakers to mitigate the harmful impact of Bitcoin's colossal energy consumption on the natural environment.

Virtual influencers as an emerging marketing theory: A systematic literature review

AbstractOver the past few years, the popularity of influencers on social media (SM) has increased, and influencer marketing has become an important element in companies' marketing strategies. This has resulted in significant interest from researchers and practitioners; consequently, the number of publications devoted to the topic of influencers and influencer marketing has risen. Simultaneously, computer‐generated avatars and virtual influencers (VIs), including those using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, have begun to emerge and gain popularity in the SM space. Thus far, research on these topics has been limited, with few studies examining the issue from different perspectives. Given the growing potential of VIs' inclusion in the consumer decision‐making process, and this being a developing field, a comprehensive and critical review of existing research on this subject is urgently needed. In response, this study consolidates the current state of research on virtual, AI, and computer‐generated influencers. A systematic review of peer‐reviewed articles was conducted to identify key themes and dominant concepts. An analysis of 35 articles provides an understanding of this phenomenon, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the appeal of VIs and their role in shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors. Based on the analysis, the main thematic streams from the study are presented. Further, research gaps have been identified, and recommendations made for future research directions.

Social media influencers: The formation and effects of affective factors during online interactions

AbstractSocial media influencers emerged as powerful sources in affecting and guiding consumers' purchase decisions through self‐generated content and online interactions with their followers. A large number of studies have so far focused on cognitive aspects such as perceived credibility, trustworthiness, and expertise of these influencers. This study aims to further advance the existing literature on social media influencer marketing from an affective perspective, with a focus on the emotional bonds generated by online interactions between the influencer and their followers. Based on the interpersonal process model of intimacy and theories in celebrity endorsement and social media influencer marketing, it examines the impact of self‐disclosure and perceived responsiveness on familiarity and intimacy, which, in turn, affect purchase decision. An online survey was conducted with 304 social media users in Mainland China who have followed social media influencers. The results highlight the formation of two affective factors, namely, familiarity and intimacy, via self‐disclosure and perceived responsiveness. Theoretically, this study provides a fresh perspective to better understand the endorser effect outside the regular set of cognitive factors. Marketing practitioners and companies can follow the suggestions of this study to select more effective social media influencers for their marketing campaign, and to build closer relationships with their target customers.

Exploring the Influential Factors of Personal Media Bloggers on Followers’ Continuous Following Intention Based on Relationship Marketing Theory

The use of personal media has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, gaining and retaining followers has become increasingly challenging, given the fierce competition among bloggers and the constant changes in personal media. In this context, this study aims to explore the factors that influence followers' continued usage intentions toward personal media bloggers and strategies to improve their loyalty. Drawing upon the theory of relationship marketing, a structural model is constructed to examine the impacts and mechanisms of personal media bloggers' attributes and communication on social presence, fanship, intention to use, and word of mouth. This research focuses on two dimensions of personal media bloggers' attributes: expertise and attractiveness. A sample of 155 highly active personal media users in China was collected through a questionnaire for analysis and validation. The findings reveal that expertise and communication have positive impacts on followers' intentions to continue following a blogger, while attractiveness has a significant, positive, and direct impact on word of mouth. Furthermore, this study shows that social presence and fanship play mediating roles in the effects of expertise and communication on followers' usage intentions and word of mouth. The research results provide valuable insights for personal media operators and marketers seeking to improve followers' loyalty and encourage potential users to become more loyal fans.

Portfolio Diversification and Financial Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Nairobi County, Kenya

Purpose: The current study sought to establish the effect of portfolio diversification on financial performance of microfinance institutions in Kenya. The study focused on establishing the effects of asset class diversification, risk profiling diversification, income diversification and locational diversification on performance of microfinance institutions in Kenya. The study was supported by Shiftability Theory, Capital Market Theory, Resource Based Theory and Balanced Score Card Theory. 
 Methodology: A descriptive research design was used and targeted 57 micro finance institutions operating in Nairobi County and registered under Association of Micro Finance Institutions. The unit of observation comprised of employees in top level management including chief financial officer, operational manager, and chief manager making a total of 171 respondents. The study employed a census approach. Both primary and secondary data were utilized in the study. Primary data was gathered using a five point Likert scale questionnaire while a secondary data collection sheet was utilized to collect secondary data from financial reports of the respective institutions. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the collected data. The statistics were generated through Statistical Package for Social Scientists and MS Excel.
 Findings: The results were displayed in form of tables. The study established that portfolio diversification comprising of asset class, risk profiling, and income diversification positively and significantly affect financial performance of the MFIs operating in Nairobi County as shown by respective beta values of 0.318, 0.288 and 0.498 and significant values of 0.000, 0.005 and 0.000. This bears the implications that enhancing aspects of each of the portfolio diversification contributes to improved financial performance of the institutions. Locational diversification on the other had had a positive but insignificant effect on financial performance of the MFIs (beta=0.103, sig=0.000>0.05) which implies that enhancing aspects of locational diversification contributes insignificantly to financial performance of the MFIs.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study provided recommendations to the management of the MFIs to enhance the levels of asset class diversification, risk profiling diversification, and income diversification since the practices bears positive and significant effect on financial performances of the MFIs.