On demand-side sources of service innovation ideas

Abstract. Increasing degree of consensus has been made among academics and practitioners, that firms should pay special attention to the demand-side factors just to design and produce products/services that gain most loyalty. This article discusses further the specific demand-side sources of service innovation ideas in a multi-layer direct marketing context. Experience marketing, value perception, and re-purchasing process are proposed and articulated. Implications for research and practices are offered. Keywords. Demand-side drivers, Service innovation, Multi-layer direct marketing.JEL. M10, M11, M14

Elitism in Mathematics and Inequality

The Fields Medal, often referred as the Nobel Prize of mathematics, is awarded to no more than four mathematician under the age of 40, every four years. In recent years, its conferral has come under scrutiny of math historians, for rewarding the existing elite rather than its original goal of elevating mathematicians from under-represented communities. Prior studies of elitism focus on citational practices and sub-fields; the structural forces that prevent equitable access remain unclear. Here we show the flow of elite mathematicians between countries and lingo-ethnic identity, using network analysis and natural language processing on 240,000 mathematicians and their advisor-advisee relationships. We found that the Fields Medal helped integrate Japan after WWII, through analysis of the elite circle formed around Fields Medalists. Arabic, African, and East Asian identities remain under-represented at the elite level. Through analysis of inflow and outflow, we rebuts the myth that minority communities create their own barriers to entry. Our results demonstrate concerted efforts by international academic committees, such as prize-giving, are a powerful force to give equal access. We anticipate our methodology of academic genealogical analysis can serve as a useful diagnostic for equality within academic fields

Financial capital of Malawi and Mongolia during 2005-2014

Abstract. Financial capital is among the most critical endowment of a nation. It is a driver of other sorts of capitals (e.g., human, technology, and so on), especially for developing countries. This study collected and analyzed important data for national financial capital through established indicators in two representative countries in Asia and Africa – Mongolia and Malawi. Through the analyses we observe comparable development of both countries’ national financial capital and witness the growth potential of them. Managerial and policy implications are discussed.Keywords. Financial capital, National competitiveness, Malawi, Mongolia.JEL. M10, M11, M14

2-Amino-1H-benzoimidazol-3-ium 4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxo-1-phenyl­butan-2-ide

In the title compound, C7H8N3 +·C10H6F3O2 −, 1H-benzoimidazol-2-amine system adopts a planar conformation with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0174 Å. The cation and anion in the asymmetric unit are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. There are also additional inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking inter­actions between the phenyl rings of neighbouring anions with centroid–centroid distances of 4.0976 (13) Å

FINANCIAL STRUCTURE FOUNDATION OF THE URBAN– RURAL INCOME GAP IN CHINA: AN INVESTIGATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE DOUBLE DUAL STRUCTURE

This article is an empirical analysis of the relations between financial structure and the urban–rural income gap (URIG) in China’s economic transition, based on the country’s double dual structure. We employ data of 31 provinces in China from 2001 to 2016 to empirically study the influence of financial structure on the URIG. We find an inverted U-shaped relation between financial scale and the URIG, a positive impact of urban and rural financial structure on the URIG, and an inverted U-shaped relation between the mismatch of financial resources and the URIG. These findings show that selection of the optimal proportion of the state-owned economy through ownership reform and the promotion of financial development and optimization of the allocation of financial resources are two effective ways to reduce the URIG.This article is an empirical analysis of the relations between financial structure and the urban–rural income gap (URIG) in China’s economic transition, based on the country’s double dual structure. We employ data of 31 provinces in China from 2001 to 2016 to empirically study the influence of financial structure on the URIG. We find an inverted U-shaped relation between financial scale and the URIG, a positive impact of urban and rural financial structure on the URIG, and an inverted U-shaped relation between the mismatch of financial resources and the URIG. These findings show that selection of the optimal proportion of the state-owned economy through ownership reform and the promotion of financial development and optimization of the allocation of financial resources are two effective ways to reduce the URIG