NETWORK EXTERNALITY ON RETAILER AND SUPPLIER PRICING STRATEGIES FOR COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS

Network externality, which affects the value of many high-tech and Internet-related products, may have a critical impact on firm strategies. This paper focuses on the strategy selection of various players in a channel structure. We design a sequential game among two suppliers and a retailer. In the developed game and model, we provide two optional strategies to the retailer, whereas suppliers can impact retailer strategies with their own pricing. We found that (direct) network externality typically had a positive effect on firms. More important, we conclude that when the degree of product network externality from a weak supplier reaches a certain scale, a relatively stable state of competition is facilitated, which is more profitable compared with a collusion strategy. Otherwise, the two suppliers can still maintain a competition relationship. However, a collusion strategy may be more profitable than competition in the second case. In this article, we recommend an acquisition strategy as a sustainable and reasonable collusion strategy

Fake Reviews with “Verified-Purchase” and Commission Fee: Embellishment vs. Sniping

There is growing evidence showing that sellers manipulate product reviews either by embellishing themselves or by snipping at their competitors. We develop an analytical model to examine the effect of product prices and platforms’ commission on sellers’ review-manipulating strategies and profits under the “Verified Purchase” policy (e.g., Amazon.com). We find that under this policy, a higher platform’s commission rate may discourage both two types of review manipulation. As for the price effect, sellers’ snipping increases with their prices but decreases with competitors’ prices while their embellishment mainly depends on the commission rate. For the platform, we identify a non-monotone relationship between profit and the commission rate, which is driven by sellers’ review manipulation. Our results suggest that platforms should carefully set their commission rate to discourage sellers from manipulating reviews and meanwhile maintain a certain level of profit under the “Verified Purchase” policy

IMPLICATIONS OF “RIGHT TO REPAIR” ON E-WASTE, CONSUMER SURPLUS, AND FIRM PROFIT: PRODUCT MARKET, ELECTRONIC SECONDARY MARKET, AND REPAIR MARKET

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (SOC

Compensation disparity between locals and expatriates: Moderating the effects of perceived injustice in foreign multinationals in China

A large compensation gap exists between local and expatriate employees in foreign multinationals in China. A survey in the Suzhou area confirmed that local employees regarded their compensation vis-à-vis that of expatriates as unfair. Trustworthiness of expatriates by locals showed a stronger effect on their evaluation of expatriates than on their job satisfaction and organizational commitment, whereas perceived compensation received by locals showed the opposite pattern. Trustworthiness of expatriates moderated the negative effect of perceived distributive injustice on evaluation of expatriates, whereas perceived compensation moderated the relationships between perceived distributive injustice and job satisfaction as well as organizational commitment.Organizational justice Social comparison Compensation disparity Expatriate managers International joint ventures

Schiff Bases from TRIS and ortho-hydroxyarenecarbaldehydes: structures and tautomeric equilibria in the solid state and in solution

Three Schiff bases generated by conventional condensation of a simple aminopolyol (TRIS) and 5-bromo- and 5-iodosalicylaldehyde, and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde, have been fully characterized, both in solution and in the solid state. This study provides a complete analysis of imine–enamine equilibria, and sheds light onto the mechanism of hydrogen transfer, which has been controversial in the literature. Low-temperature X-ray diffraction accompanied by electron-density maps have further been complemented by theoretical studies at the B3LYP/6-31G* and M06-2X/6-311++G** levels. To ascertain the influence of crystal packing on tautomeric stability, the lattice has also been simulated by computation. This protocol involves the assessment of a supramolecular cluster around a core tautomer possessing either imine or enamine structures. Such an analysis, in full agreement with solid-state data, reveals the greater stability of zwitterionic structures for the salicyl derivatives. In contrast, these substances show preferential imine forms in solution, whereas the naphthyl-based compound exhibits a prevalent keto-enamine structure in all case