學術論文

市場上並沒有關於表情符號在商業關係中所扮演角色的研究，而在市場學範疇以外的相關研究分析則參差不齊。本研究旨在透過分析親切度和能力這兩大基本要素，以及顧客受其個人及環境因素影響所產生對關係規範的看法（共有規範 vs. 交換規範），來闡釋過往的研究結果。透過實驗室及實地的試驗，現時的研究顯示顧客認為使用表情符號的服務人員，相比沒有使用的人，其親切度較高，但能力較低 （研究一）。我們進一步發現，當服務人員使用表情符號，具共有取向的顧客會傾向認為服務人員親切度較高，因而對服務較滿意；同樣情況，具交換取向的顧客則會傾向認為服務人員能力較低，因而對服務滿意度較低（研究二）。此外，我們亦研究了顧客不滿意的服務 （研究三） 及員工的額外角色服務 （研究四） 這兩個更能凸顯某種關係規範的重要服務情況。我們推測哪些機制有可能導致這些影響，並在進行討論理論及實際用途時，發掘更多研究機會。

Across five studies, the current research demonstrates that imbuing money with humanlike characteristics can enhance charitable giving. Based on mind perception theory, we propose that anthropomorphizing money can induce people to attribute to money the capacity to feel and sense (i.e., warmth) and the capacity to do things (i.e., competence). Further, we argue that enhanced warmth perception increases charitable giving. Studies 1a and 1b provided initial evidence that money anthropomorphism increased charitable giving by measuring real monetary donation behavior (study 1a) and by adopting a practical method to anthropomorphize money in charitable appeals (study 1b). Study 2 showed that money anthropomorphism enhanced both warmth and competence perceptions of money, but that only enhanced warmth perception increased donation intention. Study 3 showed that money anthropomorphism did not enhance other types of charitable giving, such as signature provision. Study 4 showed that the money anthropomorphism effect was unique to money and that anthropomorphizing other financial instruments, such as a credit card, did not induce the same effect.

This study uses two distinct quasi-natural experiments to examine the effect of institutional shareholders on corporate social responsibility (CSR). We first find that an exogenous increase in institutional holding caused by Russell Index reconstitutions improves portfolio firms’ CSR performance. We then find that firms have lower CSR ratings when shareholders are distracted due to exogenous shocks. Moreover, the effect of institutional ownership is stronger in CSR categories that are financially material. Furthermore, we show that institutional shareholders influence CSR through CSR-related proposals. Overall, our results suggest that institutional shareholders can generate real social impact.

We investigate the roles played by unexpected demand shocks, besides productivity, on firms' capital investment and exit decisions. We propose a practical approach to recover unexpected firm‐level demand shocks using inventory data. The recognition of demand shocks and inventory also improves the productivity estimation. The empirical results indicate that although productivity and demand shocks are both significant factors determining firm behavior, the former is more dominant for investment decision and the latter is more salient for firm exit. These findings confirm that unexpected demand shocks, besides persistent productivity, are important factors when analyzing capital investment and firm exit decisions.

Digital distribution introduces many new strategic questions for the creative industries—notably, how the use of new digital channels will impact sales in established channels. We analyze this question in the context of e-book and hardcover sales by exploiting a natural experiment that exogenously delayed the release of a publisher’s new Kindle e-books in April and May 2010. Using new books released simultaneously in e-book and print formats in March and June 2010 as the control group, we find that delaying e-book availability results in a 43.8% decrease in e-book sales but no increase in print book sales on Amazon.com or among other online or offline retailers. We also find that the decrease in e-book sales is greater for books with less prerelease buzz. Together, we find no evidence of strong cannibalization between print books and e-books in the short term and no support for the sequential distribution of books in print versions followed by e-book versions.

研究人員發現焦慮與工作表現之間存在不一致的關係。儘管職場焦慮與工作表現呈負相關，而大多數人亦視職場焦慮為“黑暗面”，然而研究發現職場焦慮也有其“光明面”。本文通過一個名為職場焦慮理論 (TWA) 的綜合多層次、多路徑的職場模型，理順以往有關職場焦慮的研究。此模型強調職場焦慮可能削弱或促進工作表現的過程和條件，當中亦包括十九個理論性假設。借鑒以往有關焦慮、資源枯竭、認知動機處理和表現的理論，我們把情緒耗竭、自我調節處理和認知干擾視為處理職場焦慮和工作表現關係的截然不同的方式，並發現削弱或促進職場中性格焦慮和情境焦慮的特性。透過延伸理論模型，我們確定動機、能力和情商是導致職場焦慮的關鍵因素，有可能削弱或促進工作表現。同時，我們也發現引致性格焦慮和情境焦慮的員工、工作和情境的特徵。職場焦慮理論為研究職場焦慮提供新視野及奠定未來的職場研究基礎。