Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Cyber Security Incidents

We analyze the time series associated with web traffic for a representative set of online businesses that have suffered widely reported cyber security incidents. Our working hypothesis is that cyber security incidents may prompt (security conscious) online customers to opt out and conduct their business elsewhere or, at the very least, to refrain from accessing online services. For companies relying almost exclusively on online channels, this presents an important business risk. We test for structural changes in these time series that may have been caused by these cyber security incidents. Our results consistently indicate that cyber security incidents do not affect the structure of web traffic for the set of online businesses studied. We discuss various public policy considerations stemming from our analysis.     

Strategic Community Management with Customers: Case Study on Innovation Using IT and Multimedia Technology in Education, Medical and Welfare Fields

This paper discusses the management processes for forming strategic communities by means of strategic partnerships between businesses and customers, for introducing into the Strategic communities the knowledge of customers with a high degree of learning experience with respect to the products and services provided by the businesses, thereby creating new business models and at the same time extending the results of the strategic communities to many other associated customers. Innovations in the fields of education, medicine and welfare utilizing IT and multimedia technology over the past four years are taken as examples in this case study. Here a strategic community of business and innovative customers has established a new business model in the fields of education, medicine and welfare on the basis of IT and multimedia technology. The results of the activities of the strategic community of innovative customers were then extended to many other related customers in a chain of community creation, and the new systems were widely proliferated throughout Japan. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optimal Contract Design for Mixed Channels Under Information Asymmetry

The mixed‐channel model is becoming increasingly popular in the marketplace. In this model, a firm selling through the traditional supply chain of wholesaler and retailer opens a direct channel to the customer through Internet sales. Because both channels have their respective advantages, the manufacturer is attracted to this business model. However, it also leads to channel conflict, with the retailer feeling threatened by direct competition. One way of eliminating the possibility of this channel conflict, where the retailer is allowed to add value to the product to differentiate its offering to the customers, is proposed in this paper. The retailer is also given full authority to make pricing decisions. This paper presents a model, under this scenario, of obtaining optimum pricing decisions by both parties, the amount of value added by the retailer, and the manufacturer's wholesale price to the retailer. Our model incorporates information asymmetry, where the manufacturer has incomplete information about the retailer's cost of adding value. We obtain closed‐form contracts with incomplete information and compare them with those with complete channel coordination. We also develop a number of managerial guidelines and identify future research topics.     

Governance and strategy within the financial system: tradition and innovation

Italian banks have undergone an evolutionary process and development of corporate, retail and private banking within the Italian banking system as a response to market pressures exerted by business and private customers for a broadening and qualitative expansion of offerings and organization of available competencies. This not only refers to large enterprises, whose relations with the financial system are autonomous, on equal terms and for some time now have opened up internationally, but above all the large number of SMEs found in Italy’s economic system. Interpreting governance and strategy takes place in a broad perspective in which banks and the financial system have to deal with five significant factors today: regulations, customers, knowledge, capital and synergies. Interaction with these five factors is undoubtedly not only guided by a choice made by shareholders and managers but represents the set of decisions that mitigate ideological factors, choices concerning sustainability and social acceptance of these choices. This paper intends to explore this interaction, drawing on and utilizing the most significant studies in the Italian Banking & Finance sector, with a specific focus on relations between the financial system and businesses, that is to say, the corporate banking area.     

Forecasting political decisions and their impact on business

The economic and technical background against which business enterprises operate is largely determined by political decisions. These decisions influence the market, constrain freedom of action, and create new investment openings. It is therefore important for business organizations to attempt to evaluate possible political changes in their strategic planning in order to test the realism of their economic and/or technical planning.     

互联网平台多属策略、经营模式与商家绩效

目前互联网第三方平台发展迅速,平台选择成为商家重要的经营策略。然而,商家在传统经营模式下依然缺乏对互联网平台策略价值实现的认识,并面临着互联网平台价值实现路径选择的难题。根据资源依赖理论,本文以O2O平台（饿了么,美团,百度外卖）410家水果店商家为样本,实证分析了商家选择互联网平台多属策略对其绩效的影响,并考察了传统连锁加盟模式对该路径选择的调节作用。结果表明,线上平台多属策略正向影响商家绩效,连锁加盟模式强化了平台多属策略对绩效的积极作用。研究结论对未来研究和商家的创新实践提供了针对性的启示。     

Business strategies in small high-technology companies

Cambridge high-technology companies, like other small businesses, do not for the most part have explicit overall business strategies, but a number of their key policies are quite clear-cut. For example: they all aim to sell highly specialized products in profitable market niches; the newer electronics firms minimize their commitment to manufacturing by buying-in components for assembly and testing; nearly all the firms want to make the minimum use of outside capital so as to maintain their independence. Although many are expanding rapidly, there are a number of cultural and environmental factors working against their growth into major international competitors.     

The Influence of Service Orientation on B2B e‐Service Capabilities: An Empirical Investigation

E‐Services, or the company's portfolio of service offerings available to its customers through the Internet, are an emerging area of interest to operations management. Yet little is known about the operations and capabilities needed for provision of business‐to‐business (B2B) e‐services. This paper aims to make a contribution toward closing this gap. First, we develop a new construct of B2B e‐service capability, a term that captures a generic set of five interrelated and complementary dimensions: (1) e‐service recovery, (2) e‐customization, (3) ease of navigation, (4) service portfolio comprehensiveness, and (5) information richness. These combined operational abilities are associated with B2B service delivery, including its portal design, technology architecture, and mix of product and service offerings. They are posited to be necessary for delivering effective B2B e‐services. We also argue that, both service orientation (SO) and customer receptivity to technology, influence B2B e‐service capability. We empirically test a path model using structural equation modeling on a sample of 181 businesses that have deployed B2B e‐services. We find that the influence of SO on performance is not direct but rather mediated by the e‐service capability, a finding that holds for both goods producers and service providers. We suggest that a firm's SO may mitigate industrial customers' resistance toward conducting business online.     

Customer Use of Virtual Channels in Multichannel Services: Does Type of Activity Matter?

Many firms have recently adopted virtual channels, based most notably on the Internet and the phone, to complement the delivery of services to their customers by their existing physical facilities. The success of such multichannel (MC) strategies relies on the alignment of service design decisions—namely those concerning the allocation of service activities to virtual channels—with customers’ MC behavior. Although prior studies have looked at the intensity with which customers use virtual channels, they have not addressed virtual channel use for different types of service activities. In our study, we investigate whether customers’ use of virtual channels for MC services varies with the type of service activities they engage in, and if so, in what way. In doing so, we address two objectives. First, we investigate the impact of accessibility to the physical channel on the degree of use of virtual channels (Internet and phone, aggregated) for different types of activities. Second, we look at channel preferences (Internet vs. phone) for different types of activities when customers do resort to virtual channels to conduct activities. To address our objectives, we develop and test hypotheses regarding customers’ use of virtual channels based on the match between activity attributes (complexity and volume) and channel attributes (access efficiency, interface efficiency, interface richness). Using data from a MC bank, we find that the impact of accessibility to physical channels (specifically, customer distance) on customers’ use of virtual channels, as well as the relative use of Internet versus phone, depend on the type of activities.     

Reflections on customers’ primary role in markets

Technology developments have transformed the business landscape by accelerating connectivity, transparency and unpredictability. We argue that the most dramatic consequence is not the possibilities created for companies but rather the challenges that emerge as a result of customer behaviour undergoing fundamental changes. Technology transformation has paved the way for empowered customers who are increasingly influencing businesses and markets, and the challenge for practitioners and researchers alike is to make sense of the role of these customers in such business environments. These developments have yielded a need to revise companies’ business models and to innovate new offerings. In scholarly research on marketing, this need has become evident and, beyond suggesting new concepts, completely new marketing management perspectives have been proposed, and each has its own core assumptions and focus. Broader views have emerged, and these stress the applicability of these perspectives not only to the top-level management of businesses but also to any non-commercial organisation.In this article, we reflect on the customer-dominant logic (CDL) of marketing, which stresses the customer's primary role in business. As such, CDL differs from approaches that focus on the provider's perspective. The CDL approach is an expression of the research ideals and goals that are based on the Nordic School of Service Management. We argue that CDL is well aligned with emerging challenges in most markets, both established and nascent, and that it is more managerially relevant than many other perspectives. This is also in line with the recent calls for a soul of relevance for European management research (Chia, 2014; Hernes, 2014).     

Evaluating Application Service Provisioning Using System Dynamics Methodology

Despite the hype surrounding the value‐added potential of e‐business for contemporary firms, the recent technology downturn was marked by poor customer satisfaction from investment in e‐business initiatives. An apparent mismatch between customer expectations and vendor offerings suggested a lack of appropriate methods and techniques for evaluating e‐business. This article draws from a longitudinal research study on the deployment, hosting and integration of application service provisioning (ASP), an e‐business model targeted mainly at small and medium‐sized businesses (SMBs). Using system dynamics as a methodology that addresses the inherent complexity of the ASP model, the article demonstrates how a series of complex inter‐relationships between key performance indicators (KPIs) will impact the business value for customers from ASP vendor products and services. The lessons from this research will be particularly relevant for existing and future ASP vendors and customers.     

通过顾客关系服务化来强化顾客价值过程--顾客关系时代的营销新命题

本文建立在这样一个全新的观念基础之上,即营销资源和活动必须与企业所面临的目标顾客相互一致,同时,顾客价值不是由制造商或服务提供者创造的,而是由顾客在其价值创造过程中创造的.企业的资源、流程和能力并不是企业的生产(如产品)、管理(如网站)、财务(如结算)、法律(如顾客申述的处理)及其它活动过程的结果,而应当被视为顾客价值创造过程的投入要素.因此,供应商的作用是通过向顾客提供恰当的资源要素,如产品、服务、信息、服务补救、个性化关怀等来支持顾客价值创造过程,并与顾客资源形成互动,惟此,顾客才会感知到价值被创造出来.要以此方式运营,企业必须将自己看作是服务企业,而且真正地为顾客服务.为强化顾客价值的生成,企业必须将其客户关系中的所有要素"服务化"(Servicizing),无论是与制造或服务相关的,还是管理、财务或者法律等常规活动.这些常规活动通常属于"隐性服务"(HiddenService),它们在价值创造中的潜力没有得到应有重视.相反,这些要素对顾客价值的生成过程常常起到破坏而不是支撑作用."服务化"意味着要将所有与顾客关系相关的要素,不管它们的类型和特性如何,转化为顾客价值创造过程中的投入要素.最后,本文还探讨了在顾客关系管理时代,如何配置企业营销资源及营销规划等问题.     

Ecology, pollution and business: A proposed planning solution

Pollution has, for many years, been a major issue on the international scene. Discussion has been generated by opposing views which range between those who view the ecological issue as a crisis situation as against those who believe in the ability of technology to solve all environmental problems. This paper examines some of the issues and indicates alternative methods of control and their implications for the business institution.

Pollution is not a new problem or a new phenomenon; excavations of previous civilizations have shown layers of pollution. Nevertheless, recently pollution has become a major issue involving governmental control and therefore one of fundamental importance to businesses when evaluating new projects, and therefore yet another pressure on the business executive.     

基于改进型技术接受模型的物联网服务采纳实证研究

物联网技术的应用已经大量出现在我们的日常生活和企业经济活动中,但仍然局限在相对独立的范围内,网络互连互通和信息共享依然未能实现。本文从行为科学的视角,按照技术接受模型的研究方法,通过问卷调查和结构方程统计分析,对物联网服务采纳进行了实证研究。结果表明:物联网发展的瓶颈依然是核心技术和网络互连标准问题,给消费者提供有用易用的产品和服务是推进其应用的关键,而消费者对物联网环境下的隐私保护和信息安全现已有所关注。     

两阶段软件发布管理中的最优质量与定价——顾客需求不确定条件下的分析

软件厂商广泛采用多阶段产品发布策略应对不确定的顾客需求。为了研究需求不确定性对厂商决策的影响,构建了一个两阶段框架:垄断厂商在第一阶段向异质顾客推出质量较低的产品,通过产品的使用,将不确定的顾客需求变得更为明确,然后在第二阶段推出升级产品满足这些需求。将厂商的决策定义为受需求不确定性影响的最优化模型,将第一阶段的质量与两个阶段的定价作为决策变量,分析厂商在需求不确定条件下的最优决策。数值实验表明,需求不确定性越大,第一阶段的质量和两个阶段的定价越低。当需求不确定性非常大,且负口碑效应强度超过正口碑效应强度时,厂商在第一阶段就不应该推出软件产品。本文为信息商品领域内的厂商在不能准确把握顾客需求时的决策提供支持。     

信息与传播技术企业的竞争与营销战略

我们生活在信息社会,在这个新的时代,先进技术被迅速转化成高科技产品,因此越来越多与ICT相关的高科技产品已逐渐进入家庭、办公室和公共场所。ICT这种新的媒介在不远的将来将彻底改变公司管理顾客事务的方式。所以,努力获得ICT产业的竞争优势对任何国家的经济或企业来说都是非常重要的议题。虽然,在高科技对市场营销战略的影响的研究方面已经产生了一些理论成果,但是,现有的研究中还没有直接讨论高科技对市场营销战略和实践的影响。了解ICT企业独特的市场营销战略与实践是现今企业生存和发展的必要课题。     

The Effects of Task Information and Outcome Feedback on Individuals' Insight into Their Decision Models

When making business decisions, people generally receive some form of guidance. Often, this guidance might be in the form of instructions about which inputs to the decision are most important. Alternatively, it might be outcome feedback concerning the appropriateness of their decisions. When people receive guidance in making difficult judgments, it is important that they do not confuse this guidance with insight into their own decision models. This study examined whether people confuse their actual decision model with task information and outcome feedback. Subjects predicted the likelihood that various hypothetical companies would experience financial distress and then reported the decision models they believed they had used. Their reported models were compared with their actual models as estimated by a regression of the subjects' predictions on the inputs to their decisions. In a 2times2 factorial design, some subjects were provided with task information regarding the relative importance of each input to their decisions while others were not. Some subjects were provided with outcome feedback regarding the quality of their decisions while others were not. The subjects tended to confuse the task information and outcome feedback with their actual decision models. Implications for the results are discussed.     

Analysing and reducing customer defections

Firms can grow businesses by attracting new customers, losing fewer customers and doing more business with existing customers. Keeping your present customers and doing more business with them is generally a more efficient way of using resources. It requires a detailed analysis of customer defections to assess the effects of losing customers on long-term profitability and growth. This article provides some simple but powerful graphical analysis tools to use in customer defections analysis. The tools are initially described using the simple case of a service firm to show how managers can examine the probability of defections and the resulting need to attract new customers. Then the techniques are illustrated graphically using data from a UK subsidiary of an American concern which supplies equipment to large organizations. The analysis of customer defections is summarized in a sixstage process.     

Environmental leadership in business education: Where's the innovation and how should we support it?

General managers have the power to shape environmental performance through the strategic decisions they make about products, markets and investments. Yet, often times managers fail to fully recognize the link between improved environmental performance and business performance. Over the past ten years, many business schools have added environmental content to their classes and research to help future business leaders recognize and act on these links. Ironically, although business leaders articulate ambitious environmental goals, corporate recruiting demands have not kept pace with the growing supply of these graduates. The following recap of the World Resources Institute's recent study, Grey Pinstripes with Green Ties: MBA Programs Where the Environment Matters, helps identify information barriers firms encounter in seeking new managers with a combination of business training and technical competence.     

Balancing Inventory and Stockout Risk in Retail Supply Chains Using Fast‐Ship

In this study, we consider a two‐retailer, one‐supplier supply chain in which retailers satisfy excess demand by offering to directly ship out‐of‐stock items on an expedited basis at no extra cost to customers. This practice is referred to as the fast‐ship option. We consider two scenarios along with the fast‐ship option. In the first scenario, retailers transship when out of stock, whereas in the second scenario, they do not. If they do not transship, some customers may perform the search on their own. In each scenario, the wholesale prices are either exogenous, or chosen endogenously by the supplier. For both cases, we determine the supplier's and the retailers’ optimal decisions. The key research question we ask and answer is the following: which of the two scenarios is preferred by either player when all decisions are made optimally? We show that when fewer customers are willing to search on their own and wholesale prices are exogenous, both the supplier and the retailers prefer to transship. In addition, the decision maker in a centralized chain will have the exact same preference as that of players in a decentralized setting when the retailers’ and the supplier's preferences coincide and wholesale prices are exogenous. This preference concordance does not hold if wholesale prices are endogenous.