• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.7-16
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• 2018

Purpose - This research addresses the question of how an international retailer like Costco can succeed in a foreign mature market and satisfy the local consumers. Our study aims to promote our understanding of how foreign retailers influence local consumers in a mature market with differentiated business models. Research design, data, and methodology - Our study uses company publications, secondary sources of information and the results of a questionnaire survey consisting of 106 participants. Consumer responses were solicited through a questionnaire survey conducted in the city of Kobe in December of 2013. Results - Product differentiation from local retailers in a mature market like Japan gave Costco a competitive edge. Compared with local supermarkets, Costco was preferred by Japanese consumers for its variety of goods that it carries, as well as in-store promotion large package of selling units, in-store amenities, and customer services. Conclusions - First, a theoretical framework is proposed in this study that can aid in developing localization strategies in a mature market such as Japan. Second, it reveals that an international retailer can succeed in a foreign market by stimulating local consumers to change their purchasing behavior, without having to alter the prevailing format of operation.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.33-42
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• 2018

Purpose - This paper aims to verify whether the Fisher effect and the international Fisher effect are significant between China and South Korea in the long and short run, respectively. Research design, data, and methodology - The annual and monthly data, respectively, are employed to conduct an empirical estimation under the fully modified ordinary least squares(FMOLS). The nominal interest rate is treated as an independent variable. The inflation rate is treated as a dependent variable. Results - The results exhibit whenever in the long or short run, the Fisher effect exists in China and South Korea. However, the Fisher effect in South Korea is more significant than that of in China. Meanwhile, an empirical analysis is also preformed to investigate the long-run and the short-run international Fisher effect between China and South Korea. The deviation from the equilibrium relationship is that the commodity market and the Financial market have started to integrate in China. But China's integrated level proved to be relatively lower. Conclusions - To exploit that the Fisher effect and the international Fisher effect hold between China and South Korea can help both countries deal with the sufferings from integration of the commodity market and the financial market.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.7-13
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• 2018

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the limelight question 'why India should open arms for Islamic banking?'. Research design, data, and methodology - The paper is theoretical and conceptual in nature and provides results based on significant literature review. Results - This paper will start with the discussion why Islamic name does not make it only for Muslims?, then its features and how it can improve India's current economic situation. Also this study will analyze the ability of Islamic finance to act as Micro-finance tool by including people who does not participate in economic activities. This paper also concludes that why religious issue should be sidelined in order to accept Islamic finance for empowerment of Muslim and non-Muslim minorities which live in abject poor conditions. Conclusions - Islamic finance has lot of merits which cannot be ignored by only looking at the name and believing that it is only for Muslims. Indian economic system needs a financial system which will work for welfare and not for profit to help poor communities in coming out of poverty. Interest free loans and micro-finance tools are the only way to help below poverty line population to raise their income level.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.8
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• pp.7-16
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• 2018

Purpose - The effect of regional culture has been acknowledged for decades. However, very little research takes it as an important issue in the medical tourism service decision process. This study focuses on regional culture to identify customers' preference for medical tourism in the international environment. It is proposed that regional culture may work as an critical moderator in the international medical tourism destination choice process. Especially, the destination attributes may vary according to regional culture. Research design, data, and methodology - By the questionnaire survey, the sample is collected from 2,041 potential Chinese residents in different regions of China. Regression analysis is constructed to test the effect of regional culture on Chinese customers' destination preference. Results - Results imply that regional culture plays a critical moderating role in the destination choice process. Results also indicate that destination attributes including medicine and travel characteristics are the important predictors of destination preference. Conclusions - This study provides the fundamental base to use regional culture as a descriptive variable for segmentation when establishing an effective marketing strategy. Furthermore, this research suggests that different strategies relied on destination attributes should be made to attract more Chinese customers for the development of medical tourism industry.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.33-45
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• 2016

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to discover how Korean expatriates that are currently employed in Korean subsidiaries operational in Malaysia possibly suffer from career dissatisfaction due to differences between Korean Corporate Culture (KCC) and Malaysian Corporate Culture (MCC). The integration of KCC into MCC is discussed. Research design, data, and methodology - The analysis herein is via a qualitative research. Forty-six interviewees voluntarily participated in in-depth interviews. Document analysis and qualitative interviews were utilized to develop participant profiles and to generate the framework. Interview data were transcribed and subsequently analysed to facilitate the development of themes and ultimately led to emerging patterns. The framework discusses the following Confucian pillars pronounced in KCC: Control Systems, Power Structures, Organisational Structures, Authority and Harmony and Stories and Myths. Those pillars are analysed and the results of the interviews are discussed in detail. Results - Korean expatriates on assignment in Malaysia endure struggles in all five selected Confucian pillars as they are not symmetrical with Korean Corporate Culture common at head companies in Korea. Conclusion - As a consequence, there is substantial disharmony which needs to be rectified if Korean companies are to continue their 'miraculous' economic movement into the country.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.7-16
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• 2019

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of corporate anti-corruption practice disclosure (ACPD) from the perspective of rent-seeking theory. Research design, data, and methodology - Data are hand-collected from corporate social responsibility reports (CSRR) issued by 724 A-share listed firms in China. This paper provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between ownership structure and corporate ACPD as well as its moderating role in the institutional environment. Results - Our findings indicate that rent-seeking is a key factor in influencing corporate ACPD. State-owned enterprises disclose significantly more anti-corruption information than private ones in order to achieve personal promotion of top executives. Monopoly enterprises reported significantly less anti-corruption information than enterprises in competitive industries due to their rent-seeking behavior. The reduction of government intervention and improvement of legal environment are helpful to curb corporate rent-seeking activities and enhance the level of corporate ACPD. Conclusions - Rent-seeking is an important factor in explaining corporate voluntary disclosure in emerging countries. Institutional environment also plays a moderating role in the relationship between ownership structure and corporate voluntary disclosure. Our results are of interest to policy makers, regulators and market participants that are interested in corporate voluntary disclosure and corruption prevention.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.27-38
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• 2018

Purpose - This study centers on field surveys aimed at deriving the customer satisfaction factors of customer support centers that are positioned between suppliers and consumers in the supply chain. They consists of manufacturing, sales, distribution, consumption and collection, and that are in charge of core functions for suppliers' customer satisfaction management and consumers' satisfaction with consuming activities. Research design, data, and methodology - The customer satisfaction factors of customer support centers were derived through literature review and expert opinion surveys, and a questionnaire was developed through a process of the refinement of variables using pilot tests and 330 questionnaire sheets were distributed. The questionnaire sheets were collected and opinions in them were analyzed using fuzzy AHP methodology. Results - Three factors, which are turnover intentions, motivation, and job satisfaction, were derived as customer satisfaction factors of customer support centers, and the ranking relationships of these three factors were analyzed. In addition, the ranking relationships among six execution variables of turnover intentions, 10 execution variables of motivation, and 10 execution variables of job satisfaction were analyzed using fuzzy AHP methodology to obtain quite significant results. Based on the results of this study, three implications in the three strategic aspects and an implication in the academic aspects are presented. Conclusions - Motivation and job satisfaction, job satisfaction and turnover intentions, and motivation and turnover intentions are not formed by independent or different factors or environments. They are in the same context with each other (maintaining high correlations) and are in the relationships of virtuous circles in which they complement each other.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.31-38
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• 2017

Purpose - This study aims to elucidate the status of women as consumers and observe their consumption trends in relation to culture. Research design, data, and methodology - Past studies of women as consumers were observed and their consumer behaviors were noted. The stigma of women in society and how it has impacted the market industries were examined. Additionally, the role of culture in consumerism for women were also reviewed and elucidated. Results - The stereotypical roles that are placed in women in society are still prevalent for the marketing industry and is reflected in their businesses. Additionally, the role of culture plays a significant role in the consumer behaviors of women and thus businesses should understand its intricate differences between countries. Fashion industry is one that plays a prominent role in women's consumerism and the impact of culture has a prominent impact on women's consumer habits as well. Conclusions - Additional studies should be conducted to understand the consumerisms of women in the marketing industry. Businesses should also be aware of the vastly different cultural norms of various countries and tailor to their preferences. Only through a thorough examination and understanding of the consumer behavior in women will markets be able to flourish and gain solid ground in global businesses.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 2018

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to provide a formalized process of decision making for companies or organizations that need to make various decisions in the age of uncertainty. Therefore, this study aimed to proposes a strategic decision-making approach citing the relatively easily accessible using IPA(important-performance analysis) and SWOT/AHP analysis. Research design, data, and methodology - To be specific, the first step is to derive necessary attributes and conduct IPA. The second step is to subdivide the IPA results into internal strength and weakness factors and the external opportunity and threat factors, hierarchize those factors, and weight them accordingly. The third step is to build a causality model to propose a method of supporting a rational decision making. Results - The foregoing approach seems to facilitate the diversification of decision-making strategies by helping businesses or organizations to measure and analyze the attributes needed for certain decisions. Additionally, the perceived importance and satisfaction (or achievement) usage of those derived attributes can be used as the reference data for SWOT/AHP analysis. Conclusions - The proposed stepwise approach is applicable to businesses or organizations in need of making stepwise decisions in line with their retained competencies in comparison to conventional or intuitive decision-making practices.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.7-16
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• 2019

Purpose - Economic globalization provides firms with a new channel to gain benefits from foreign countries. Therefore, using the real MNEs, this paper set China's firms as an example to explore the relationship between multinationality and performance. Research design, data, and methodology - Panel data from 2008 to 2017 was used and 390 multinational firms listed in China's A-share market was selected. Additionally, related econometric methods were employed to analyze the relationship between multinationality and performance in this study. The return on assets was treated as a dependent variable, and the sales of a firm, the firm age, the debt asset ratio of a firm, the ratio of foreign sales to total sales and the enterprise properties were treated as independent variables. All of these factors were used to conduct an empirical analysis. Results - The empirical findings in this study revealed that there is a linear relationship between multinationality and performance, as well as that non state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) have a greater effect on the relationship between multinationality and performance than that of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Conclusions - On the basis of evidences this paper provided, China's government should take measures in the future to help China's firms when they fulfil international economic activities.