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1 – 10 of over 126000Xing Zhang, Yongtao Cai, Fangyu Liu and Fuli Zhou
This paper aims to propose a solution for dissolving the “privacy paradox” in social networks, and explore the feasibility of adopting a synergistic mechanism of “deep-learning…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a solution for dissolving the “privacy paradox” in social networks, and explore the feasibility of adopting a synergistic mechanism of “deep-learning algorithms” and “differential privacy algorithms” to dissolve this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
To validate our viewpoint, this study constructs a game model with two algorithms as the core strategies.
Findings
The “deep-learning algorithms” offer a “profit guarantee” to both network users and operators. On the other hand, the “differential privacy algorithms” provide a “security guarantee” to both network users and operators. By combining these two approaches, the synergistic mechanism achieves a balance between “privacy security” and “data value”.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper suggest that algorithm practitioners should accelerate the innovation of algorithmic mechanisms, network operators should take responsibility for users’ privacy protection, and users should develop a correct understanding of privacy. This will provide a feasible approach to achieve the balance between “privacy security” and “data value”.
Originality/value
These findings offer some insights into users’ privacy protection and personal data sharing.
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Shu Wang, Dun Liu and Jiajia Nie
It is only logical that a firm aims to make a profit after entering the market. However, some firms enter the market with the goal of market expansion and even burn money to…
Abstract
Purpose
It is only logical that a firm aims to make a profit after entering the market. However, some firms enter the market with the goal of market expansion and even burn money to pursue market share, which is counterintuitive in practice. To explore the theoretical foundations behind this rare phenomenon, this paper focuses on discussing the impact of the market expansion entry strategy on the entrant firm and the incumbent firm.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a game theory model of a supply chain with an incumbent and an entrant, this paper explores the mathematical conditions for the entrant to adopt either the traditional or the market expansion entry strategy and investigates the incumbent’s benefits and losses under different entry strategies.
Findings
The results show that when the market-expansion effect and the selling price ceiling are moderate, the entrant firm always adopts the market expansion entry strategy, and the incumbent firm obtains a free ride from the entrant firm and benefits from it. The entire industry profits and the industry consumer surplus are increased. In particular, we further investigate the cases in which the incumbent firm has a first-mover advantage or there is a troublesome cost, and the results confirm the aforementioned conclusions.
Originality/value
By considering market share as the entrant’s goal, this paper contributes to the dual-purpose literature. Moreover, based on the model’s mathematical results, this paper offers relevant management insights for the entrant and its stakeholders in the e-commerce platform.
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Rahmat Ullah, Sami Ullah and Irum Saba
This study aims to explore and analyze the issues in weightages-based profit distribution mechanism in Islamic banks from Shari’ah, practical and regulatory perspectives.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore and analyze the issues in weightages-based profit distribution mechanism in Islamic banks from Shari’ah, practical and regulatory perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research approach was used in this study based on primary data collected through semi-structured interviews from Shari’ah practitioners and senior industry experts in the field of pool management in the Islamic Financial Services Industry of Pakistan.
Findings
The current study found that the weightages-based mechanism conforms to the rules of Mudarabah and; therefore, permissible. However, the elements of exploitation, transparency and fairness require further research, as these elements seem to exist in this mechanism. It was also found that there are many loopholes in the regulatory guidelines for pool management in Islamic banking institutions (IBIs) in Pakistan resulting in practical issues.
Practical implications
The findings of this study may help improve pool management in IBIs, which in turn may cater the objections raised by academicians, customers and industry experts. Moreover, the alternative solution based on the findings of this study can be transformed into a proposal for regulators to take necessary actions against unfair profit distribution and issue further improved guidelines for IBIs in Pakistan.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, very limited studies have been conducted on pool management particularly with issues from different perspectives and alternative solutions have been suggested that may act as a proposal for IBIs as well as regulatory authorities.
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Richard Tarpey, Jinfeng Yue, Yong Zha and Jiahong Zhang
The importance of service firms cooperating with digital platforms is widely acknowledged. The authors study three contractual relationships (fixed-cost, cost-sharing, and profit…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of service firms cooperating with digital platforms is widely acknowledged. The authors study three contractual relationships (fixed-cost, cost-sharing, and profit-sharing) between service firms (specifically hotels) and digital platforms in a highly fragmented service supply chain to examine which of these contract types optimizes profits.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors extend prior models analyzing the optimal expected total profit from the travel service firm (hotel)–digital platform relationship, providing new insights into each contract type’s ability to coordinate decentralized systems and optimize profits for both parties.
Findings
This study finds that fixed cost contracts cannot coordinate the decentralized system. Cost-sharing contracts can coordinate the decentralized system but only allow one channel profit split. In contrast, profit-sharing contracts may not always perfectly coordinate the decentralized system but support alternative profit allocations. Practically, both profit-sharing and cost-sharing contracts are preferable to fixed-cost contracts.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications for travel service firm managers to consider when structuring contracts with digital platforms to focus on profit optimization. Profit-sharing contracts are most preferable when cost and revenue data are fully shared between parties, while cost-sharing contracts are preferable over fixed-cost contracts.
Originality/value
This study extends prior investigations into the utility of different contract types on the optimal profit of a travel service firm (hotel)-digital platform provider relationship. The research fills a gap in the literature concerning the contracts used in these relationship types.
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Hongyu Hou, Feng Wu and Xin Huang
The development of the digital age has made data and information more transparent, enhancing the strategic perspectives of both buyers (strategic waiting) and sellers (price…
Abstract
Purpose
The development of the digital age has made data and information more transparent, enhancing the strategic perspectives of both buyers (strategic waiting) and sellers (price fluctuations) in their decision-making. This research investigates the optimal dynamic pricing strategy of the content product developer in relation to their consideration of consumer fairness concerns to elucidate the impact of consumer fairness concerns on the dynamic pricing strategy of the developer.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper assumes that monopolistic content developers implement a dynamic pricing strategy for the content product. Through constructing a two-period dynamic pricing game model, this research investigates the optimal decisions of the content developer, contingent upon their consideration or disregard of consumer fairness concerns. In the extension section, the authors additionally account for the influence of myopic consumers on these optimal decisions.
Findings
Our findings reveal that the degree of consumer fairness concerns significantly influences the developer’s optimal dynamic pricing decision. When a developer offers content products with lower depth, there is a propensity for the developer to refrain from incorporating consumer fairness concerns into a dynamic pricing strategy. Conversely, in cases where the developer offers a high-depth content product, consumer fairness concerns benefit the developer. Furthermore, our analysis reveals a consistent benefit for the developer from the inclusion of myopic consumers.
Originality/value
Few studies have delved into the conjoined influence of consumer fairness concerns and strategic behavior on dynamic pricing strategy. Our findings indicate that consumer fairness concerns can enhance the efficiency of the value chain for content products under specific conditions. This paper not only enriches the existing literature on dynamic pricing by incorporating consumer fairness concerns theoretically but also offers practical insights. The outcomes of this research can guide content product developers in devising optimal dynamic pricing strategies.
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Dennis A. Pitta and J. Howard Kucher
This paper aims to describe how a social enterprise can use product innovation and management to succeed in its mission.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe how a social enterprise can use product innovation and management to succeed in its mission.
Design/methodology/approach
The case describes an approach to new product development and management that is of value to social enterprises. The Vehicles for Change organization exists and operates in the USA.
Findings
Provides information and action approaches to non‐profit organizations to increase their sustainability. Often non‐profits do not understand nor value business. Consequently, they elevate their mission to do good but sabotage their ability to succeed. Infusing business into non‐profits can lead to an entirely new organization, the social enterprise. Social enterprises use profit‐generating businesses to fund their charitable elements. This new form can be called a for benefits organization. That focus lends itself to using product development and management techniques to succeed. Their results offer implications for non‐profit organizations.
Research limitations/implications
As in all case studies, the specific conditions found in one organization may not be found more generally in others. Readers are cautioned that the conclusions drawn in the case may have limited applicability.
Practical implications
The case depicts the process that one firm uses to innovate and succeed. It requires breaking existing perceptions, changing managerial attitudes, restructuring and adopting a consumer focus.
Originality/value
The case describes an evolutionary approach to social welfare in part based the benefits of a product. It illustrates the value that a product focused, profit seeking approach can yield in support of an organization that seeks to aid humanity.
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Mohamed Sahbi Nakhli and Lotfi Belkacem
The purpose of this paper is to test the performance of momentum strategies and identify the sources of their profits.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the performance of momentum strategies and identify the sources of their profits.
Design/methodology/approach
To identify the main source of momentum profits, first, the bootstrap method with replacement was used. Then, to eliminate the existence of the small sample bias, the bootstrap method without replacement and the block bootstrap method were employed. In this case, when the authors draw the observations without replacement the random effect is reduced, whereas the resampling procedure is based on the random draw.
Findings
The empirical results show the existence of a small sample bias in the bootstrap method with replacement, and that the time‐series relations of stock returns are the main source of momentum profits.
Originality/value
To ensure the random effect of the draws, the authors develop a new resampling procedure called the mixed bootstrap method.
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Roland Azibo Balgah, Vladislav Valentinov and Gertrud Buchenrieder
The paper is aimed at examining the correspondence between the demand‐side and supply‐side determinants of the existence of non‐profit firms.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper is aimed at examining the correspondence between the demand‐side and supply‐side determinants of the existence of non‐profit firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study approach is used to compare the demand‐side and supply‐side determinants for a single non‐profit organization in rural Cameroon.
Findings
It is shown that the supply‐side determinants of the examined non‐profit organization, while interrelated with the demand‐side determinants, are not reducible to these.
Research limitations/implications
This finding implies the need to steer a middle course between those theoretical approaches that assume no integration between the demand‐side and supply‐side determinants, and those that assume complete integration between these.
Originality/value
The current non‐profit economics literature, represented by the above approaches, tends to assume away the complex interaction between the demand‐side and supply‐side rationales of non‐profit organization. The contribution of the present paper is to highlight the limitations of this assumption.
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The reason for superior profit performance by certain companies may be the result of being in the right industry at the right time, and being able to meet market demands…
Abstract
The reason for superior profit performance by certain companies may be the result of being in the right industry at the right time, and being able to meet market demands. Continual high profit performance, however, is more likely to be the result of a small number of correct strategic decisions (to merge, or to expand capacity) or the result of exceptional management control practised by a competent team of executives. One technique used by executives is to direct the company's objectives towards substantial and continual profit improvement through profit planning.
Phillip Miller, Mahmoud M. Yasin and Thomas W. Zimmerer
The objective of this study is to shed some light on quality improvement practices of for‐profit and not‐for‐profit hospitals
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study is to shed some light on quality improvement practices of for‐profit and not‐for‐profit hospitals
Design/methodology/approach
The scope and effectiveness of several quality improvement efforts are studied for a sample of 110 hospitals. Factor analysis was utilized to analyze the data collected.
Findings
The results of this study tended to suggest that for‐profit and not‐for‐profit hospitals were more similar than different with the regard to the effective utilization of quality improvement initiatives, thus underscoring the utility of quality improvement efforts despite differences in operating characteristics, strategies and operating constraints.
Research limitations/implications
The sample used in this study is limited. Thus, the results should be interpreted accordingly.
Practical implications
This study offers decision‐makers in healthcare operational settings empirical evidence of the operational and strategic effectiveness of different quality improvement efforts, thus justifying investments related to the initiation and implementation of such quality improvement efforts.
Originality/value
This study represents an important step toward understanding the effective implementation of quality improvement initiatives in different operational settings.
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