Rethinking Mobile Methods

Over the past, few years a broad range of scholars have been emphasising the vital importance of methodological innovation and diversification to mobilities research. Whilst welcoming this pluralisation of research methods, this paper encourages a note of caution amongst researchers who wholly embrace the call for mobile methods, which are frequently justified by an assumption that ‘conventional’ or ‘traditional’ methods have failed. I outline some of the explanations that are given for the development of ‘mobile methods’ – including their inevitable emergence from a ‘new mobilities paradigm’, the importance of innovation and political relevance for social science methods, and their importance for apprehending elusive practices – before identifying a number of problems with this work: namely the assumption that mobilities research is necessarily a branch of social science research, the production of over-animated mobile subjects and objects, the prioritising of certain kinds of research methods and practices, and the overreliance on certain kinds of technology. Particular attention is paid to the use of ‘non-representational theories’ and theories of practice in mobilities research, wherein academics frequently suggest that we must adopt certain performative, participative, or ethnographic techniques to enable researchers to be, see or move with research subjects, and to more effectively or accurately understand those practices and subjects. In the final section, I draw upon historical research on early driving practices to highlight the diverse methods and sources that can be useful for mobilities scholars seeking to apprehend particular practices, events, subjects and spaces.     

Multimarket pioneers: Does multimarket contact improve their performance?

First-mover advantages (FMA) and multimarket contact (MMC) have evolved independently in the strategic management literature. This is surprising because FMA erode as a result of competition which, in turn, is affected by MMC. This paper links these literatures through the concept of spheres of influence and analyses the effect of MMC on pioneers' profitability. We use the order of market entry to identify spheres of influence and to determine their distribution among multimarket firms. The distribution of spheres of influence allows us to distinguish between reciprocal MMC and non-reciprocal MMC and to study how each of them determines pioneers' profitability. We test our hypotheses in the mobile telecommunications industry. Our findings show that reciprocal MMC has a positive effect on pioneers’ results, but non-reciprocal MMC negatively affects them.     

J2ME技术在移动终端上的研究和应用

随着移动通信技术的飞速发展,移动业务也从最初的通话、短消息等基本服务向更加丰富和复杂的功能演进,如：移动浏览、游戏娱乐、移动商务、视频服务、位置服务等。J2ME是一个移动终端运行和开发的统一Java平台,提供对越来越多的移动应用的支持。     

Adoption of WAP-enabled mobile phones among Internet users

This paper examines the attitudinal, social and perceived behavior control factors that are associated with the adoption of WAP-enabled mobile phones among Internet users. An online questionnaire is used to gather data. The results show that attitudinal and social factors rather than perceived behavioral control factors play a significant role in influencing intentions to adopt a WAP-enabled mobile phone. In particular, perceptions of relative advantage, risk, and image are found to influence adoption intentions. In addition, reference groups too play an important role in shaping adoption intentions. Implications of results and directions for future research are examined.     

How to beat early movers: The role of competitive strategy and industry dynamism on followers’ performance in the telecommunications industry

The idea of first-mover advantages is frequently used by both managers and academics alike. Despite its importance for understanding the performance of entry in new markets, the evidence remains mixed. Our study advances research on the entry timing-performance relationship by adopting a contingency perspective that includes both micro (competitive strategies) and macro (industry dynamics) dimensions to explain differences in entrants' profitability. In this paper we focus on follower firms and propose that cost leadership is the best strategy for them to successfully entering a market. In addition, recognizing the contingency effect of industry dynamism, we also examine how market growth and technology evolution affect the effectiveness of followers’ competitive strategies. Specifically, we propose that followers will be better off by using cost strategies in growing markets, while when operating in contexts of technological change the performance of the cost leadership strategy will be lower.     

Mobile Organizing Using Information Technology (MOBIT)

Both at the corporate level and in the government sector, we are currently witnessing a transformation towards mobile organizing using information technology (MOBIT). The mobile technology wave is challenging the fundamentals on organizational thinking on four accounts: (1) organizational platforms that support productive and efficient collaboration and enable self-development, experimentation and innovative behaviour; (2) balancing the need for managerial control and action with privacy rights for the individual workers related to digital transactions and storage; (3) strategies for having workers and external users (i.e. customers, citizens) at home, in a satellite office, or at the headquarters/front office; and (4) knowledge creation, replication, adaptation, and utilization in organizations glued with IT.     

试论中介机构和政府在区域创新网络中的作用

本文探讨了区域创新网络的概念及其特点,重点讨论了中介机构和政府在构建区域创新网络、促进技术创新中的作用。作者认为区域创新网络的功能旨在使产生创新的元素:人才、技术、信息和资金在网络中迅速流动起来,并且通过每个网络节点本身的创新来实现技术创新。     

移动电子商务价值链研究——以中国移动应用商场为例

移动电子商务价值链超越了传统企业价值链,各方参与者基于同一个网络平台为共同的最终用户服务;各参与方应进行价值链整合与跨界合作,才能在移动电子商务竞合交易中获得共赢。以“中国移动应用商场”网络平台作为载体,中国移动应加强企业内部整合,发挥品牌及用户基数优势,才能将自身打造成为集网络、终端、通道和应用为一体的移动互联网产业链主导者。     

手机短信语中的仿拟修辞

手机短信语是现代人信息交流的新途径。短信编写者在短信写作过程中大量使用修辞格。本文以网易、新浪网上的短信留言为基本素材,分析了作为手机短信语中常用修辞手段之一的仿拟辞格,指出短信编写者在制作短信语的过程中常仿拟其他体裁格式,达到新颖别致,幽默风趣的言语效果。     

移动消费顾客满意度与忠诚度的多维市场细分分析

基于对移动公司的实际调研,以调研设计中的关联属性为市场细分的纬度,分析了移动顾客满意度与忠诚度在各细分市场的特征。分析数据显示:按照城乡、年龄、入网时间、品牌、年收入、月话费额等因素进行细分的各细分市场在顾客满意度与忠诚度方面存在规律性的差异。基于此,提出了提高移动顾客满意度与忠诚度的思路,包括区分城乡市场、以年轻消费群体的服务要求为标准、延长在网时间、实施差异化品牌策略、建立多维市场细分体系、建立差异化服务体系。