Service Quality and Customer Loyalty in a Post-Crisis Context. Prediction-Oriented Modeling to Enhance the Particular Importance of a Social and Sustainable Approach

Research into the influence of service quality on customer loyalty has typically focused on confirming isolated direct causal influences regarding particular dimensions of quality, usually undertaken in the context of positive, firm-customer relations. The present study extends analysis of these factors through a new lens. First, the study was undertaken in a market context following a crisis that has had far-reaching consequences for customers’ relational behaviors. We explore the case of the Spanish banking industry, a sector that accurately reflects these new relational conditions, including a rising demand for more socially responsible banking. Second, we propose a holistic model that combines the effects of four key factors associated with service quality (outcome, personnel, servicescape and social qualities). We also apply an innovative predictive methodological technique using partial least squares (PLS) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) that enables us not only to determine the direct causal effects among variables, but also to consider different scenarios in which to predict customer loyalty. The results highlight the role of outcome and social qualities. The novelty of the social qualities factor helps to underscore the importance of social, ethical and sustainable practices to customer loyalty, although personnel and servicescape qualities must also be present to improve the predictive capability of service quality on loyalty

Banking and Finance

The banking and finance industry plays a significant role in the economy of a nation. As such, continuous research and up-to-date feeds are necessary for it to stay competitive and resilient. Due to its revolving and dynamic nature as well as its significance and interlinkages with other industries, a well-functioning banking and finance system is vital in safeguarding the interest of all stakeholders. Banking and Finance covers a wide range of essential topics highlighting major issues related to banking and finance. The book is rich with empirical evidence, scientific researches, best practices, and recommendations, making it a compact yet handy reference for readers, especially those who are in the field of banking and finance

Macro-Prudential Assessment of Colombian Financial Institutions’ Systemic Importance

Three metrics are designed to assess Colombian financial institutions’ size, connectedness and non-­substitutability as the main drivers of systemic importance: (i) centrality as net borrower in the money market network; (ii) centrality as payments originator in the large-value payment system network, and (iii) asset value of core financial services. Two systemic importance indexes are calculated based on two different aggregation methods for the three metrics: fuzzy logic and principal component analysis. The resulting indexes are complementary and provide a comprehensive relative assessment of each financial institution’s systemic importance in the Colombian case, in which the choice of metrics pursues the macro-­prudential perspective of financial stability. They both (i) agree on the skewed (i.e. inhomogeneous) nature of systemic importance and its approximate scale-­free distribution; (ii) on the preeminence of credit institutions as the main contributors to systemic importance, and (iii) on the non-­‐trivial importance of a few non-­‐banking institutions

Entry mode selection for internationalization of giant Chinese state owned companies: The case of entrance in Africa of China communications construction company

Enterprise internationalization is an inevitable choice as open economies develop to a certain level. According to the direct investment development path theory of John Dunning, when the GNP Per Capita exceeds $3000, the net foreign investment will be positive. With rapid development over the past three decades, China’s international economic position and influence have significantly improved and its GNP Per Capita has surpassed$ 4000, it has entered the rapid growth stage for investment development as described in Dunning’s theory. At this stage, the market entry mode selection is the first issue to tackle for enterprise internationalization. This thesis takes China’s giant state owned construction companies as research object and the author analyzes the internal and external environments and the strategic selection for internationalization operation, and describes the conceptions, categories, internal attributes and factors of market entry mode selection for internationalization of construction companies. This thesis focuses on China Communications Construction Company Ltd (hereinafter referred to as CCCC), representative of giant Chinese state owned construction companies, sets up the SWOT analysis and weight system and conducts strategic positioning. Based on the above strategic positioning, the author takes into consideration the national background of these companies and puts forward three assumptions and their theoretical framework. The thesis takes CCCC’s entry into the market of Kenya and Angola as an example, verifies the effectiveness and application of the theoretical framework, and makes up the deficiency of the theory on market entry mode selection for enterprise internationalization, providing reference for enterprises’ market entry practice.Quando as economias abertas atingem um determinado nível de desenvolvimento a internacionalização das empresas torna-se uma escolha inevitável. De acordo com a teoria de investiemnto directo de John Dunning, quando o rendimento per capita excede $3000, o investimento estrangeiro liquido será positivo. Com um crescimento económico rápido nas últimas três décadas, a posição económica internacional da China e influência melhoraram significativamente e o seu rendimento per capita ultrapassou os$4000. Atingiu, deste modo, o estágio defendido por Dunning. Esta tese tem como objecto de pesquisa as empresas “gigantes” estatais Chinesas do ramo das obras públicas e o autor analisa a envolvente interna e externa e a escolha estratégica dos modos de internacionalização das mesmas. Esta tese foca-se na empresa chinesa – China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), representante das empresas gigantes estatais chinesas de obras públicas, descrevendo o processo de realização da análise SWOT. Tendo por base o posicionamento estratégico da empresa, o autor analisa o contexto em que esta empresa se desenvolveu e avança com três pressupostos no que concerne à sua internacionalização. A tese compara também os processos de entrada da CCCC em Angola e no Quénia

Cross-border E-commerce Risk Evaluation from Sellers’ Perspective

While the development of cross-border e-commerce is flourishing, the associated risk factors should not be underestimated. In this paper, we analyze risk in cross-border e-commerce from the external environment and platform construction to establish a cross-border e-commerce risk evaluation index system from sellers\u27 perspective. Subsequently, the weights of the indicators are calculated on account of entropy weight method, and combined with fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to construct a cross-border e-commerce risk evaluation model. The results show that the weight of platform risk is more than environmental risk, and the risk level of cross-border e-commerce from sellers\u27 perspective is low. Finally, we attempt to propose some strategies to prevent risks, hoping to provide some theoretical insights into the issue of risk prevention in cross-border e-commerce

Partner selection for reverse logistics centres in green supply chains: a fuzzy artificial immune optimisation approach

The design of reverse logistics networks has now emerged as a major issue for manufacturers, not only in developed countries where legislation and societal pressures are strong, but also in developing countries where the adoption of reverse logistics practices may offer a competitive advantage. This paper presents a new model for partner selection for reverse logistic centres in green supply chains. The model offers three advantages. Firstly, it enables economic, environment, and social factors to be considered simultaneously. Secondly, by integrating fuzzy set theory and artificial immune optimization technology, it enables both quantitative and qualitative criteria to be considered simultaneously throughout the whole decision-making process. Thirdly, it extends the flat criteria structure for partner selection evaluation for reverse logistics centres to the more suitable hierarchy structure. The applicability of the model is demonstrated by means of an empirical application based on data from a Chinese electronic equipment and instruments manufacturing company

Dealing With Non-Performing Loans During The Bank Restructuring Process in Vietnam: Assessment Using The AHP and TOPSIS Methods

This article aims to assess the solutions that have been implemented in Vietnam to deal with non-performing loan(s) (NPLs) in the banking system. By trying to build evaluation criteria through a literature review and an expert survey, as well as using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), this research measures the effectiveness of the resolution of NPLs in Vietnam through many factors. The empirical results show that, in the past, the banking system in Vietnam has not dealt very well with bad debt, as it mostly uses traditional methods such as NPL write-offs by loan loss reserves or the liquidation of collateral. Based on our consideration of the NPLs’ resolutions that the Vietnamese banking system has implemented recently, we propose some suggestions to improve the necessary conditions for applying more market-based solutions, such as debt-equity swaps and securitization to thoroughly resolve the NPLs in Vietna

Sustainable supply chain management trends in world regions: A data-driven analysis

This study proposes a data-driven analysis that describes the overall situation and reveals the factors hindering improvement in the sustainable supply chain management field. The literature has presented a summary of the evolution of sustainable supply chain management across attributes. Prior studies have evaluated different parts of the supply chain as independent entities. An integrated systematic assessment is absent in the extant literature and makes it necessary to identify potential opportunities for research direction. A hybrid of data-driven analysis, the fuzzy Delphi method, the entropy weight method and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory is adopted to address uncertainty and complexity. This study contributes to locating the boundary of fundamental knowledge to advance future research and support practical execution. Valuable direction is provided by reviewing the existing literature to identify the critical indicators that need further examination. The results show that big data, closed-loop supply chains, industry 4.0, policy, remanufacturing, and supply chain network design are the most important indicators of future trends and disputes. The challenges and gaps among different geographical regions is offered that provides both a local viewpoint and a state-of-the-art advanced sustainable supply chain management assessment

Forecasting modeling and analytics of economic processes

The book will be useful for economists, finance and valuation professionals, market researchers, public policy analysts, data analysts, teachers or students in graduate-level classes. The book is aimed at students and beginners who are interested in forecasting modeling and analytics of economic processes and want to get an idea of its implementation