Matching Items (30)
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Business Administration
- All Subjects: Consumers--Attitudes.
- Creators: Wu, Fei
Description
It is well understood that decisions made under uncertainty differ from those made without risk in important and significant ways. Yet, there is very little research into how uncertainty manifests itself in the most ubiquitous of decision-making environments: Consumers' day-to-day decisions over where to shop, and what to buy for their daily grocery needs. Facing a choice between stores that either offer relatively stable "everyday low prices" (EDLP) or variable prices that reflect aggressive promotion strategies (HILO), consumers have to choose stores under price-uncertainty. I find that consumers' attitudes toward risk are critically important in determining store-choice, and that heterogeneity in risk attitudes explains the co-existence of EDLP and HILO stores - an equilibrium that was previously explained in somewhat unsatisfying ways. After choosing a store, consumers face another source of risk. While knowing the quality or taste of established brands, consumers have very little information about new products. Consequently, consumers tend to choose smaller package sizes for new products, which limits their exposure to the risk that the product does not meet their prior expectations. While the observation that consumers purchase small amounts of new products is not new, I show how this practice is fully consistent with optimal purchase decision-making by utility-maximizing consumers. I then use this insight to explain how manufacturers of consumer packaged goods (CPGs) respond to higher production costs. Because consumers base their purchase decisions in part on package size, manufacturers can use package size as a competitive tool in order to raise margins in the face of higher production costs. While others have argued that manufacturers reduce package sizes as a means of raising unit-prices (prices per unit of volume) in a hidden way, I show that the more important effect is a competitive one: Changes in package size can soften price competition, so manufacturers need not rely on fooling consumers in order to pass-through cost increases through changes in package size. The broader implications of consumer behavior under risk are dramatic. First, risk perceptions affect consumers' store choice and product choice patterns in ways that can be exploited by both retailers and manufacturers. Second, strategic considerations prevent manufacturers from manipulating package size in ways that seem designed to trick consumers. Third, many services are also offered as packages, and also involve uncertainty, so the effects identified here are likely to be pervasive throughout the consumer economy.
ContributorsYonezawa, Koichi (Author) / Richards, Timothy J. (Thesis advisor) / Grebitus, Carola (Committee member) / Park, Sungho (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Private labels command a growing share of food retailers' shelf space. In this dissertation, I explain this phenomenon as resulting from "umbrella branding," or the ability of a single brand to reach across categories. Conceptually, I define umbrella branding as a behavioral attribute that describes a shopper's tendency to ascribe a performance bond to a brand, or to associate certain performance characteristics to a private label brand, across multiple categories. In the second chapter, I describe the performance bond theory in detail, and then test this theory using scanner data in the chapter that follows. Because secondary data has limitations for testing behavioral theories, however, I test the performance bond theory of umbrella branding using a laboratory experiment in the fourth chapter. In this chapter, I find that households tend to transfer their perception of private label performance across categories, or that a manifestation of umbrella branding behavior can indeed explain private labels' success. In the fifth chapter, I extend this theory to compare umbrella branding in international markets, and find that performance transference takes its roots in consumers' cultural backgrounds. Taken together, my results suggest that umbrella branding is an important behavioral mechanism, and one that can be further exploited by retailers across any consumer good category with strong credence attributes.
ContributorsTheron, Sophie (Author) / Richards, Timothy J. (Thesis advisor) / Grebitus, Carola (Committee member) / Hughner, Renee (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description摘要
在复杂多变的商业环境中，企业传统的人力资源管理已经难以应对日益频发的员工职业倦怠、人际间矛盾冲突、频繁跳槽等局面与问题。企业员工工作的价值与意义早已不再是传统的雇佣模式下，通过出卖劳动力或智力从而获得工资以实现“养家糊口”的目的那么单纯与简单，员工也希望通过辛勤的工作，以获得个体的幸福感、荣誉感与认同感等。对于现代企业的管理者而言，员工追求事业的提升、个人价值的实现，不仅体现在薪酬、福利待遇的提升，更重要的是员工个人的成长以及潜能和竞争力的提升。
随着组织行为学和心理学的不断发展与演变，与员工幸福感相关的研究备受关注。对现代企业而言，管理者借助制度设计对员工幸福积极管理，可以最大限度地发挥员工的积极性、主动性与创造性，实现员工与企业之间的利益相趋同，从而更为高效地实现组织的目标。基于此，本文以民营企业员工工作幸福感作为研究的切入点，借助理论分析、问卷调查和实证分析相结合的研究方法，系统深入地研究我国民营企业员工工作幸福感的构成、可控前因和绩效后果等问题。
本文研究发现：
第一，员工薪酬的提高有助于员工工作幸福感的提升，薪资对基层员工幸福感的影响显著高于其对高层员工幸福感的影响；
第二，完善的晋升机制对于中层员工而言更能提升其幸福感，完善的晋升机制更有利于中层员工；
第三，公平性的提高有助于提高员工工作幸福感，而且这种正效应更多体现在基层员工群体之中；
第四，高层员工更注重自我价值的实现，高层员工的工作挑战性越高，其自我实现需求获得的满足感则约高，但是对于基层员工和中层员工而言，其效果则恰恰相反，基础员工和高层员工更多地将工作挑战性和压力看作是一种负面的因素；
第五，员工幸福感的确会给企业带来正向的绩效。
本文的研究框架和实证结论不仅可以丰富学术界有关员工工作幸福感的研究，而且为企业管理者进行绩效管理以及员工工作质量的提升提供理论和实证借鉴。
在复杂多变的商业环境中，企业传统的人力资源管理已经难以应对日益频发的员工职业倦怠、人际间矛盾冲突、频繁跳槽等局面与问题。企业员工工作的价值与意义早已不再是传统的雇佣模式下，通过出卖劳动力或智力从而获得工资以实现“养家糊口”的目的那么单纯与简单，员工也希望通过辛勤的工作，以获得个体的幸福感、荣誉感与认同感等。对于现代企业的管理者而言，员工追求事业的提升、个人价值的实现，不仅体现在薪酬、福利待遇的提升，更重要的是员工个人的成长以及潜能和竞争力的提升。
随着组织行为学和心理学的不断发展与演变，与员工幸福感相关的研究备受关注。对现代企业而言，管理者借助制度设计对员工幸福积极管理，可以最大限度地发挥员工的积极性、主动性与创造性，实现员工与企业之间的利益相趋同，从而更为高效地实现组织的目标。基于此，本文以民营企业员工工作幸福感作为研究的切入点，借助理论分析、问卷调查和实证分析相结合的研究方法，系统深入地研究我国民营企业员工工作幸福感的构成、可控前因和绩效后果等问题。
本文研究发现：
第一，员工薪酬的提高有助于员工工作幸福感的提升，薪资对基层员工幸福感的影响显著高于其对高层员工幸福感的影响；
第二，完善的晋升机制对于中层员工而言更能提升其幸福感，完善的晋升机制更有利于中层员工；
第三，公平性的提高有助于提高员工工作幸福感，而且这种正效应更多体现在基层员工群体之中；
第四，高层员工更注重自我价值的实现，高层员工的工作挑战性越高，其自我实现需求获得的满足感则约高，但是对于基层员工和中层员工而言，其效果则恰恰相反，基础员工和高层员工更多地将工作挑战性和压力看作是一种负面的因素；
第五，员工幸福感的确会给企业带来正向的绩效。
本文的研究框架和实证结论不仅可以丰富学术界有关员工工作幸福感的研究，而且为企业管理者进行绩效管理以及员工工作质量的提升提供理论和实证借鉴。
ContributorsShu, Man (Author) / Shen, Wei (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Thesis advisor) / Chen, Xin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description理性决策理论基于“完全理性”假定，追求帕累托最优即个体的利益最大化。但是实际决策过程中，人的行为具备“有意识的理性，但这种理性又是有限的”，投资者也是并不是完全理性、同质的。海外投资也是如此，其背景特征诸如地域、性格、年龄、财富等特征都会对海外投资决策产生重大的影响，其程度大小势必也会因投资者背景特征的差异有所不同。考虑到投资者风险偏好与海外投资活动的关系鲜有文献涉及，笔者愿意做“第一个吃螃蟹的人”，选取该视角展开论述。
本文首先对前人的研究进行总结，概述了风险偏好的理论和偏好水平的度量办法，并总结了风险偏好对海外投资影响的理论基础，即决策理论和有限理性与行为经济学理论，为本文的研究奠定了坚实的理论基础。
其次，开展了问卷调查，对小城市城镇人群、二三线大城市人群、一线大城市人群、海外华人群体等不同地域的25-60岁之间的人群作为调查对象，回收了有效问卷3748份，并就问卷结果进行了描述性分析。发现跨地域人群有着不同的投资需求，小城市城镇人群整体来说对于海外投资需求较低；二三线大城市人群对海外投资不抗拒且具备一定研究和分析能力；一线大城市人群26%已考虑移民或大量海外投资，对海外投资产品有很强的分析能力；海外华人群体38%已考虑移民或大量海外投资，对于各类海外投资产品的接触机会很多。
再次，本文对风险偏好水平进行综合评价和度量。在此基础上，设定了研究变量和研究模型，采用回归分析的方法，对跨地域人群风险偏好、跨地域人群风险偏好对海外投资影响两块进行了实证分析，并验证了相关假设。本文认为，跨地域人群具有较为明显的风险偏好，其中一线城市人群风险偏好最高，高于海外华人群体，高于二三线大城市人群和小城市城镇人群。基于教育水平、财富程度和信息获取的风险偏好对海外投资影响的实证分析结果显示，风险偏好越高的区域，海外投资总额越多。充分验证了跨地域人群不同的风险偏好，以及风险偏好对海外投资的显著正向影响关系。最后，本文针对实证结果提出了相应的对策建议。
本文首先对前人的研究进行总结，概述了风险偏好的理论和偏好水平的度量办法，并总结了风险偏好对海外投资影响的理论基础，即决策理论和有限理性与行为经济学理论，为本文的研究奠定了坚实的理论基础。
其次，开展了问卷调查，对小城市城镇人群、二三线大城市人群、一线大城市人群、海外华人群体等不同地域的25-60岁之间的人群作为调查对象，回收了有效问卷3748份，并就问卷结果进行了描述性分析。发现跨地域人群有着不同的投资需求，小城市城镇人群整体来说对于海外投资需求较低；二三线大城市人群对海外投资不抗拒且具备一定研究和分析能力；一线大城市人群26%已考虑移民或大量海外投资，对海外投资产品有很强的分析能力；海外华人群体38%已考虑移民或大量海外投资，对于各类海外投资产品的接触机会很多。
再次，本文对风险偏好水平进行综合评价和度量。在此基础上，设定了研究变量和研究模型，采用回归分析的方法，对跨地域人群风险偏好、跨地域人群风险偏好对海外投资影响两块进行了实证分析，并验证了相关假设。本文认为，跨地域人群具有较为明显的风险偏好，其中一线城市人群风险偏好最高，高于海外华人群体，高于二三线大城市人群和小城市城镇人群。基于教育水平、财富程度和信息获取的风险偏好对海外投资影响的实证分析结果显示，风险偏好越高的区域，海外投资总额越多。充分验证了跨地域人群不同的风险偏好，以及风险偏好对海外投资的显著正向影响关系。最后，本文针对实证结果提出了相应的对策建议。
ContributorsWan, Jianying (Author) / Chen, Pei-Yu (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Thesis advisor) / Chen, Xinlei (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
It is well understood that innovation drives productivity growth in agriculture. Innovation, however, is a process that involves activities distributed throughout the supply chain. In this dissertation I investigate three topics that are at the core of the distribution and diffusion of innovation: optimal licensing of university-based inventions, new variety adoption among farmers, and consumers’ choice of new products within a social network environment.
University researchers assume an important role in innovation, particularly as a result of the Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed universities to license inventions funded by federal research dollars, to private industry. Aligning the incentives to innovate at the university level with the incentives to adopt downstream, I show that non-exclusive licensing is preferred under both fixed fee and royalty licensing. Finding support for non-exclusive licensing is important as it provides evidence that the concept underlying the Bayh-Dole Act has economic merit, namely that the goals of university-based researchers are consistent with those of society, and taxpayers, in general.
After licensing, new products enter the diffusion process. Using a case study of small holders in Mozambique, I observe substantial geographic clustering of new-variety adoption decisions. Controlling for the other potential factors, I find that information diffusion through space is largely responsible for variation in adoption. As predicted by a social learning model, spatial effects are not based on geographic distance, but rather on neighbor-relationships that follow from information exchange. My findings are consistent with others who find information to be the primary barrier to adoption, and means that adoption can be accelerated by improving information exchange among farmers.
Ultimately, innovation is only useful when adopted by end consumers. Consumers’ choices of new products are determined by many factors such as personal preferences, the attributes of the products, and more importantly, peer recommendations. My experimental data shows that peers are indeed important, but “weak ties” or information from friends-of-friends is more important than close friends. Further, others regarded as experts in the subject matter exert the strongest influence on peer choices.
University researchers assume an important role in innovation, particularly as a result of the Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed universities to license inventions funded by federal research dollars, to private industry. Aligning the incentives to innovate at the university level with the incentives to adopt downstream, I show that non-exclusive licensing is preferred under both fixed fee and royalty licensing. Finding support for non-exclusive licensing is important as it provides evidence that the concept underlying the Bayh-Dole Act has economic merit, namely that the goals of university-based researchers are consistent with those of society, and taxpayers, in general.
After licensing, new products enter the diffusion process. Using a case study of small holders in Mozambique, I observe substantial geographic clustering of new-variety adoption decisions. Controlling for the other potential factors, I find that information diffusion through space is largely responsible for variation in adoption. As predicted by a social learning model, spatial effects are not based on geographic distance, but rather on neighbor-relationships that follow from information exchange. My findings are consistent with others who find information to be the primary barrier to adoption, and means that adoption can be accelerated by improving information exchange among farmers.
Ultimately, innovation is only useful when adopted by end consumers. Consumers’ choices of new products are determined by many factors such as personal preferences, the attributes of the products, and more importantly, peer recommendations. My experimental data shows that peers are indeed important, but “weak ties” or information from friends-of-friends is more important than close friends. Further, others regarded as experts in the subject matter exert the strongest influence on peer choices.
ContributorsFang, Di (Author) / Richards, Timothy J. (Thesis advisor) / Bolton, Ruth N (Committee member) / Grebitus, Carola (Committee member) / Manfredo, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
Private label growth in emerging markets has not kept pace with the growth in private labels elsewhere. For instance, in Europe and North America, private labels now constitute an average of 35% of total retail market share, compared to emerging markets, where market shares vary between 1% and 8 %. This dissertation examines the possibility that differences in private-label performance between developed and emerging economies is not driven by one mechanism, but arises from a variety of sources, both structural, and behavioral. Specifically, I focus on manufacturers’ market power, retailers’ private label portfolio strategies, and consumers’ perceptions of private labels. In most emerging economies, national brand manufacturers tend to be the sole producers of private labels. As a result, manufacturers have inherent market power and can deter retailers from pursuing aggressive private label strategies, which results in low private label market shares. Moreover, some retailers in emerging economies now carry their private labels as part of a multi-tiered portfolio. However, a small price-gap between the quality tiers results in high intraportfolio competition leading to cannibalization and lower private label market shares. Last, private label market shares in emerging economies may be smaller than in developed economies because low-income households prefer higher priced national brands. This counterintuitive phenomenon is driven by two interrelated factors. First, social influence implies that low-income households are upward-comparing, they contrast themselves with high-income households whom they believe are better-off. Because higher-income households purchase national brands, upward-comparisons lead to a preference for national brands. Second, low income households are unknowledgeable about private label advancements hence they prefer national brands.
ContributorsPasirayi, Simbarashe (Author) / Richards, Timothy J. (Thesis advisor) / Morales, Andrea (Committee member) / Grebitus, Carola (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description在我国绩效管理领域，国内企业目前大多仅适用客观评价指标，而往往忽略了更有弹性的主管评价等主观评价指标。但在世界范围内，随着绩效管理理论的不断发展，以平衡计分卡（BSC）为代表的新型绩效管理体系管理范围更加广泛，除了客观业绩之外，还将很多主观指标也纳入绩效评价系统内，并且得到了诸多跨国公司的引用。为了探究以主管评价为代表的主观指标与客观业绩之间的关系，本文以R公司为例，基于其内部的实际数据，分析了员工业绩与主管评价之间的相互关系。研究发现，员工历史客观业绩与主管评价呈正相关关系，且相较于员工长期客观业绩，这种关系在员工短期业绩中更加明显。基于此，研究还发现，主管历史评价与员工后期的客观业绩也呈正相关关系，且相较于前期主管评价，这种关系在当期主管评价中更加明显。除此之外，本文还发现主管和员工的性别差别和学历差别会同时减弱上述员工业绩与主管评价之间的正相关关系。综上，本文研究结果为企业设计和制定绩效考核标准提供了一定的参考，有助于企业更好地进行绩效体系的构建。
ContributorsJin, Tao (Author) / Shen, Wei (Thesis advisor) / Chang, Chun (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description自雇司机是公路货运司机中比例人数最多、最基层的一员，他们在公路物流行业中扮演着极为重要的角色，他们承担着各种来源的压力。本文以疫情前后按揭购买卡车的自雇司机为研究样本，基于本研究收集到的独特数据，研究发现自雇卡车司机在面临按揭压力时，倾向采取更为激进的经营及驾驶行为，表现为更少的休息天数、更长的工作时长以及更危险的高速驾驶行为，并在一系列稳健性检验中基本结论仍然存在；基于新冠疫情事件研究发现，新冠疫情带来的非预期性经济停摆和收入中断，导致疫情前的发生的按揭贷款的卡车司机面临更强的还款压力，在经济恢复后面对按揭压力更有可能采用激进的经营和驾驶行为；进一步，通过机制检验研究本文发现这种按揭压力主要表现为担心当前或者未来发生不能及时偿还按揭款。再者，基于人格性征和家庭支持的调节效应检验，本文发现神经质人格特征、谨慎尽责性人格特征以及工作压力感没有在按揭压力与自雇卡车司机激进的经营和驾驶选择上起到调节作用，这可能是自雇卡车司机面临的按揭压力都很大，个体性格特征很大程度无法缓和其压力感，而家庭的支持和家庭-工作平衡可以有效缓解自雇卡车司机面临按揭压力时提高工作时长和危险驾驶行为的倾向。
最后，本文设计一项随机对照干预实验，向自雇卡车司机发送短息或者微信，提醒他们避免疲劳驾驶和危险超速驾驶，然后观察发送短信微信前后自雇卡车司机经营及驾驶行为的变化，识别考察外界积极主动的关心和提醒能否起到相应的后果。本文发现对自雇卡车司机获得外部主动积极地的关心和提醒，在面临按揭压力时意识到简单地减少休息增加运营时长以及采用危险驾驶行为抢时间的策略可能给其带来很大的风险，从而相应地缓解对按揭压力的过度反应；进一步调节作用检验表明，短信干预实验在神经质和谨慎尽责性人格司机中起到更大的减缓作用，同时家庭支持较少时短信干预实现效应也更为明显。
ContributorsMa, Liqun (Author) / Shen, Wei (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Thesis advisor) / Zhang, Zhen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description政府引导基金自诞生至今，始终处于管理模式的摸索状态。本文试图从公司治理的角度分析不同利益方（政府、社会出资人以及管理人）之间的博弈关系以及其对引导基金投资效果的影响。政府引导基金的注册数量和规模在过去十几年中得到了快速显著的发展。从引导基金设立的政府行政层级来看，地县级政府设立基金是引导基金出资中的绝对主力。本文拟深入研究地县级政府引导基金的运作模式，尝试探索其治理结构与投资效果。
目前，引导基金的运作模式仍然处于摸索阶段，论文试图对引导基金若干个指标做出客观比较，分析政府参与度对资金投资效果的影响，希望对未来引导基金的设立模式选择提供有力的理论基础。为实现较好的研究效果，论文选择了某经济发达的地级市的样本进行了研究，该市的政府引导私募股权基金发展程度相对较高，市本级以及区县级均有较多的政府引导私募股权基金，该市范围政府引导私募股权基金可研究价值相对较高。在样本选择方面，论文将采样某市及所辖区县政府直接出资基金十六只，针对其参与设立的直投基金以及直接投资项目进行分析。同时，论文还总正反两个方面选择了两个经典案例进行详细剖析。
论文发现，市场化运作程度越低，引导基金所期望实现的目标效果相对不理想，投资效果越差。政府在决策中所占比重越高，形成的投资决策对于项目成长性判断的准确度越差，对地方经济社会发展的综合贡献越低。然而，纯粹的商业运作，无法实现引导基金所承担的社会使命。对不同的资金诉求导致的投资要求在不同的决策层级实现，通过政府或其代表出资方对管理方以协议约束的方式保证其投资行为而不再进行对单个项目进行价值判断，是有效实现引导诉求和专业判断兼顾的引导基金管理模式。
论文建议，在经济相对发达地区，政府引导基金应该积极采用市场化运作模式，在现有可选择的模式中，政府引导基金以LP身份且获取咨询委角色，从外部监察约束角度对基金进行投资引导的模式为最佳选择。
ContributorsWu, Di (Author) / Pei, Ker-Wei (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Thesis advisor) / Zhu, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description企业文化以及中高层员工对企业文化的认同度影响员工工作绩效表现，探讨他们之间的相互作用机理，有利于厘清企业文化的执行效果，方便决策者根据现实情况进行决策调整。在员工工作绩效层面，受限于数据的易得性、代表性与普遍性，以往的研究更多关注于企业发展，同时，很少有学者关注中高层管理人对企业文化认同的影响及决定因素。青山实业子公司众多，中高层管理人员人数达六百多人，提供了足够的研究样本，正是在这样的背景下，本文从剖析核心企业文化以及中高层管理人员对企业文化认同度视角出发，结合内外部因素，探索企业文化认同度与工作绩效、工作满意度的关系，并确定影响企业文化认同的前因，分析其作用机制，并据此对企业为中高层个人发展提供良好平台提出策略和建议。研究发现，归属感需求，外向型性格，工作能力，组织文化强度，团队沟通，分配公平和企业声誉对于组织文化认同度有正面影响，且这些影响因素在控制常见变量的情况下依然呈现出显著性。企业文化认同度对工作绩效和工作满意度都具有显著的正面促进作用。
ContributorsHe, Xiuqin (Author) / Zhu, David (Thesis advisor) / Wu, Fei (Thesis advisor) / Zhang, Zhen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022