Overview of the MOSAiC expedition: Physical oceanography

Arctic Ocean properties and processes are highly relevant to the regional and global coupled climate system, yet still scarcely observed, especially in winter. Team OCEAN conducted a full year of physical oceanography observations as part of the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of the Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), a drift with the Arctic sea ice from October 2019 to September 2020. An international team designed and implemented the program to characterize the Arctic Ocean system in unprecedented detail, from the seafloor to the air-sea ice-ocean interface, from sub-mesoscales to pan-Arctic. The oceanographic measurements were coordinated with the other teams to explore the ocean physics and linkages to the climate and ecosystem. This paper introduces the major components of the physical oceanography program and complements the other team overviews of the MOSAiC observational program. Team OCEAN’s sampling strategy was designed around hydrographic ship-, ice- and autonomous platform-based measurements to improve the understanding of regional circulation and mixing processes. Measurements were carried out both routinely, with a regular schedule, and in response to storms or opening leads. Here we present alongdrift time series of hydrographic properties, allowing insights into the seasonal and regional evolution of the water column from winter in the Laptev Sea to early summer in Fram Strait: freshening of the surface, deepening of the mixed layer, increase in temperature and salinity of the Atlantic Water. We also highlight the presence of Canada Basin deep water intrusions and a surface meltwater layer in leads. MOSAiC most likely was the most comprehensive program ever conducted over the ice-covered Arctic Ocean. While data analysis and interpretation are ongoing, the acquired datasets will support a wide range of physical oceanography and multi-disciplinary research. They will provide a significant foundation for assessing and advancing modeling capabilities in the Arctic Ocean

Comparing the attitudes toward money, material possessions and savings of overseas Chinese vis-à-vis Chinese in China : convergence, divergence or cross-vergence, vis-à-vis 'one size fits all' human resource management policies and practices

Data on attitudes toward money, material possessions and savings were collected from 692 respondents in Australia, Canada and China in 2008. On the basis of ethnicity, the sample was divided into five sub-groups: Caucasians in Australia; Chinese in Australia; Caucasians in Canada; Chinese in Canada; and Chinese in China. Results of bivariate and multivariate analyses of variance revealed that the savings rate and attitudes toward money/material possessions of Chinese who were born and raised in Australia and Canada were more similar to their counterparts in China than to the Caucasians in Australia and Canada. This finding shows convergence on the basis of ethnicity, thus suggesting that intra-national diversity can be as salient as cross-national differences and highlights the need to examine the effectiveness of ‘one size fits all’ human resource management policies and practices within a domestic context.20 page(s

Cross-national vs. intra-national diversity : a three-country study of attitudes toward money, material possessions and savings

This study seeks to examine whether intra-national diversity can be as salient as cross-national differences. Data on attitudes toward money, material possessions and savings were collected from 730 consumers in Australia, Canada and China. On the basis of ethnicity, the sample was divided into five sub-groups: Caucasians in Australia, Chinese in Australia, Caucasians in Canada, Chinese in Canada, and Chinese in China. Results of bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the Chinese who were born and raised in Australia and Canada were more similar to their counterparts in China than the Caucasians in Australia and Canada. The implications of these findings for cross-cultural research and practice are discussed.26 page(s

The Role of gender, culture and religion in banking behaviour : an exploratory investigation

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Share of wallet in retail banking : a comparison of Caucasians in Canada and Australia vis-à-vis Chinese in China and overseas Chinese

Purpose – This study aims to investigate investing and borrowing behavior in retail banking between ethnic groups, specifically the Caucasians vis-à-vis the Chinese. Design/methodology/approach – A total sample of 645 Caucasians and Chinese in Australia, Canada and China were tested for their level of business assigned to their main banks, defined as share of wallet (SOW) in this study. The study applied multivariate analyses. Findings – No significant differences were found between the ethnic Chinese in Australia and Canada in comparison to their counterparts in mainland China, or compared with the Caucasians in Australia and Canada. This finding of convergence suggests that ethnic Chinese have adapted to the local banking behavior. The ethnic Chinese in Australia and Canada assigned 81-88 percent of their assets to their main banks, in comparison to only 72 percent for their counterparts in China and 73 percent for the Caucasians. As such, the ethnic Chinese in Australia and Canada have developed their own unique behavior, resulting in crossvergence: an over-adaptation to local behavior in managing their assets, and a mid-way approach between the Chinese in China and the local Caucasians when it comes to borrowing money. Practical implications – For bank marketing managers, this form of crossvergence constitutes a challenge as it suggests that gaining the trust of Chinese customers is complex since the SOW is lowest in the booming emerging market (i.e. China) whereas ethnic Chinese consumers in Western markets have formed their own unique pattern of allocating business to their banks. “Ethnic banking” is suggested to offer tailored services to ethnic groups in order to satisfy their specific money management. Originality/value – This study establishes that Chinese consumers in Western markets are a distinct consumer group. Products and services need to be specially customized to suit their wants and needs.14 page(s

Jade will never become a work of art without being carved : Western versus Chinese attitudes toward discipline in education and society

Educational institutions are increasingly catering to culturally diverse populations of students. The different attitudes and values that these students, and their families, bring with them pose a challenge to the ability of educators to meet the expectations of stakeholders. Amy Chua’s bestselling book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom (2011) generated a lively debate on the merits and pitfalls associated with the strict disciplinarian approach of East Asian parents vis-à-vis the less authoritarian practices favored in the West. This three-country study examines the attitude toward obedience, school discipline and law enforcement among overseas Chinese in Australia and Canada, Chinese in China and Caucasians in Australia and Canada. 755 responses were obtained from people in these three countries. The findings reveal that, in general, overseas Chinese espouse their own unique attitudes on discipline in society and thus have “cross-verged” with their Caucasian counterparts, to some extent. Overseas Chinese favor stricter schools than the Chinese in China, while the latter support obedience to one’s superiors. First-generation immigrants emulate the majority culture in their adopted country of residency, whereas the second-generation Chinese stress returning to their cultural roots. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are then discussed.17 page(s

Share of wallet in retail banks : a comparison of Caucasians in Canada and Australia vis-a-vis Chinese in China and ethnic Chinese in Canada and Australia

This study investigates investing and borrowing business assigned to retail banks between ethnic groups A total sample of 692 Caucasians and Chinese in Australia, Canada and China were tested for their level of business, defined as share of wallet (SOW) in this study, assigned to their main banks through applying multivariate analyses No significant differences were found between the ethnic Chinese in comparison to their counterparts in Mainland China, or compared with the Caucasians in Australia and Canada. This finding of convergence suggests that ethnic Chinese have adapted to the local banking behaviour, although the ethnic Chinese in Australia and Canada assigned 81-88% of their assets to their main banks, in comparison to only 70% for their counterparts in China and 73% for the Caucasians.. As such, the ethnic Chinese in Australia and Canada have developed their own unique behaviour, resulting in crossvergence: an over-adaptation to local behaviour in managing their assets, and a mid-way approach between the Chinese in China and the local Caucasians when it comes to borrowing money.. For (financial) services managers, this form of cross-vergence constitutes a challenge as it suggests that gaining the trust of Chinese customers is complex since the SOW is lowest in the booming emerging market (ie., China) whereas ethnic Chinese consumers in Western markets have formed their own unique pattern of allocating business to their banks Ethnic banking is suggested to offer tailored services to ethnic groups.19 page(s

Convergence or divergence of the Asian market : is regionalism leading to regionalisation?

As a result of the Asian crisis in 1998 and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008, there is increasing speculation that ‘Globalisation’ may have stalled. Regardless, do developed and developing nations actually benefit (or suffer) from globalization? Some have argued that globalisation has created ‘imbalance’ between nations, and the GFC was the zenith of speculation in financial and property markets. Others have concluded that the world is organised around regions such as Europe, North America and Asia, thus making a case for ‘regionalisation’.10 page(s

Attenuating double jeopardy of negative country of origin effects and latecomer brand : an application study of ethnocentrism in emerging markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of ethnocentrism in attenuating the negative country of origin effect and latecomer brands. The literature has established the importance of the "country of origin" effect, and this study compares consumers in the Asian emerging markets to developed consumers' response to cars from China, India and Russia. Design/methodology/approach – Data on consumers' willingness to purchase cars from emerging markets such as China, India and Russia were collected from 3,201 respondents in those three emerging markets and in the three most important Western car markets, the USA, the UK and Germany. The study employed a choice-based conjoint analysis. Findings – The results of this study confirmed the hypothesised ethnocentrism in the emerging markets with a strong preference for their own latecomer brands (Great Wall, Tata and AvtoVAZ, respectively). Developed markets in contrast are more sceptical of the Chinese, Indian and Russian car brands, but there is nonetheless substantial potential, especially with consumers who have previously bought latecomer brands from Asia. Utility values per brand, price, brand-partnership, product features, warranties and also place of manufacturing/assembly have been calculated in the study. Originality/value – This paper should prove valuable to academic researchers in establishing strong consumer preferences in emerging markets for their own products, and in establishing the potential of latecomer brands in developed markets.24 page(s