COVID-19 created a surge in e-commerce usage, leading to fierce channel competition between the manufacturer's online sales and the offline retailer. Hence, the imperative need for effective and innovative optimisation strategies to mitigate channel competition. Manufacturer-coupons are widely practiced in market, yet research on the importance they play in coordinating channel competition to achieve optimisation in channel distributions is scarce. This research addresses this gap by examining the effectiveness of manufacturer-coupons on the coordination of the manufacturer's online sales and offline retailer's sales. The findings indicate that issuing a manufacturer-coupon to the customers who buy from the offline retailer reduces the competition in the different channel distributions, but cost sharing of the retailer coupon is a better strategy. We thus examine if profit sharing is an effective strategy to facilitate the use of manufacturer-coupon in the market. After comparing different scenarios, we conclude that advanced profit-sharing can be effective in making manufacturer-coupon prevalent in the market and thus alleviate channel competition effectively.

This paper studies a dual-channel supply chain consisting of one risk-averse manufacturer and one risk-averse retailer with stochastic demand. Herein, the manufacturer provides value-added services to enhance channel demand. First, the optimal pricing and service decisions of the channel members are investigated under different settings, i.e., the cooperative game, Bertrand game, and manufacturer Stackelberg (MS) game models. Second, the effects of channel members' risk aversion on optimal channel prices and expected utilities are analysed under the assumption that the manufacturer service is a decision variable and an exogenous variable, respectively. Third, sensitivity analysis and numerical simulation are performed to verify our propositions consistently and seek more managerial implications. The findings suggest that the manufacturer's value-added services in their direct channel will improve the direct price while decreasing the retail price. Consumers' channel loyalty degree has a great influence on the optimal price decisions and the performance of the channel members. The direct price increases while the retail price decreases in the manufacturer's value-added services. The retailer's risk aversion has a greater influence on price decisions than that of the manufacturer.

Myung-Hyun KIM,Seungkwang LEE, Vol.E107-D, No.11, pp.1449-1452
White-box cryptographic implementations often use masking and shuffling as countermeasures against key extraction attacks. To counter these defenses, higher-order Differential Computation Analysis (HO-DCA) and its variants have been developed. These methods aim to breach these countermeasures without needing reverse engineering. However, these non-invasive attacks are expensive and can be thwarted by updating the masking and shuffling techniques. This paper introduces a simple binary injection attack, aptly named clear & return, designed to bypass advanced masking and shuffling defenses employed in white-box cryptography. The attack involves injecting a small amount of assembly code, which effectively disables run-time random sources. This loss of randomness exposes the unprotected lookup value within white-box implementations, making them vulnerable to simple statistical analysis. In experiments targeting open-source white-box cryptographic implementations, the attack strategy of hijacking entries in the Global Offset Table (GOT) or function calls shows effectiveness in circumventing run-time countermeasures.
Publication Date: 2024/11/01

The Republic of India has witnessed an enormous leap in financial transactions after a sudden demonetisation in 2016. The study represents an in-depth analysis of the factors influencing e-wallets usage post-COVID situation covering the National Capital Region. The scientifically collected data were subjected to Pearson's correlation to recognise the correlation amongst the selected e-wallets. The usage of e-wallets is observed mainly during recharge, UPI payments, and utility payments. Through psychometric response and interaction analysis, six factors were selected and examined for data distribution and stable observation using standard deviation and variance coefficient. The coefficient of variance for six factors was observed ≤ 1. The weight of the factors noted to be secured way (0.184), to take advantage of cashback (0.182), low risk of theft (0.169), fast service (0.1689), ease to use (0.156), and saves time (0.139) using principal component eigenvectors analysis. Freecharge and Tez wallets reveal a maximum 99.2% correlation.

Collaboration between various stakeholders is crucial for healthcare digitalisation and eHealth utilisation. Given that valuable outcomes can emerge from collaborative interactions among multiple stakeholders, exploring a quadruple helix (QH) approach to collaboration may be fruitful in involving the public sector, business, citizens, and academia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore stakeholder views on eHealth collaboration from a QH perspective using the grounded theory methodology. First, an inductive qualitative study involving all stakeholders in the QH was conducted. Subsequently, the findings were related to the actor-resource-activity (ARA) model of business relationships. The results emphasise the role of considering diverse perspectives on collaboration because digitalisation and eHealth require teamwork to benefit the end users within various settings. A model depicting the various aspects of the ARA model related to digitalisation in a healthcare QH setting is presented.

Reinforcement Quantum Annealing: A Quantum-Assisted Learning Automata Approach We introduce the reinforcement quantum annealing (RQA) scheme in which an intelligent agent interacts with a quantum annealer that plays the stochastic environment role of learning automata and tries to iteratively find better Ising Hamiltonians for the given problem of interest. As a proof-of-concept, we propose a […]

The post Reinforcement Quantum Annealing: A Quantum-Assisted Learning Automata Approach appeared first on UMBC ebiquity.

What Is Supply Path Optimization? This article delves into the workings of Supply Path Optimization (SPO), an approach designed to refine the ad purchasing procedure by minimizing intermediaries between advertisers and their intended audiences, thus promoting cost-effectiveness, increased efficiency, and transparency. It will also cover the advantages of SPO and provide strategies for [...]

We advance a model that highlights contingent linkages between overconfidence and narcissism, entrepreneurial entry, and the successful realization of venture opportunities. Overall, our proposals point to a paradox in which entrepreneurs high in overconfidence and narcissism are propelled toward more novel venture contexts—where these qualities are most detrimental to venture success, and are repelled from more familiar venture contexts—where these qualities are least harmful, and may even facilitate venture success. To illuminate these patterns of misalignment, we attend to the defining characteristics of alternative venture contexts and the focal mechanisms of overconfidence and narcissism.

We develop and test a theoretical model that explores how individuals appraise different types of stressful job demands and how these cognitive appraisals impact job performance. The model also explores how charismatic leaders influence such appraisal and reaction processes, and by virtue of these effects, how leaders can influence the impact of stressful demands on their followers' job performance. In Study 1 (n = 74 U.S. Marines), our model was largely supported in hierarchical linear modeling analyses. Marines whose leaders were judged by superiors to exhibit charismatic leader behaviors appraised challenge stressors as being more challenging, and were more likely to respond to this appraisal with higher performance. Although charismatic leader behaviors did not influence how hindrance stressors were appraised, they negated the strong negative effect of hindrance appraisals on job performance. In Study 2 (n = 270 U.S. Marines) charismatic leader behaviors were measured through the eyes of the focal Marines, and the interactions found in Study 1 were replicated. Results from multilevel structural equation modeling analyses also indicate that charismatic leader behaviors moderate both the mediating role of challenge appraisals in transmitting the effect of challenge stressors to job performance, and the mediating role of hindrance appraisals in transmitting the effect of hindrance stressors to job performance. Implications of our results to theory and practice are discussed. Keywords: stress, leadership, job performance, multilevel modeling

Prior research on mergers and acquisitions (M&As) has substantially advanced our understanding of how isolated acquirer- and deal-specific factors affect abnormal returns. However, investors are likely to perceive and evaluate M&As holistically—that is, as complex configurations (i.e., Gestalts) of characteristics, rather than as a list of independent factors. Yet, extant M&A literature has not addressed why and how configurations of factors elicit positive or negative reactions. In other words, overlooking the interdependent nature of factors known to influence acquisition success has limited our understanding of both M&As and investor judgment. Taking an inductive approach to addressing this important issue, this study relies on fuzzy set methodology. Our results provide compelling evidence that investor perceptions of M&A announcements are not only configurational in nature but also characterized by equifinality - or the presence of multiple paths to success - and asymmetric causality - that is, configurations that represent bad deals are not simply a mirror image of good deals, but differ fundamentally. By constructing a typology of "good" and "bad" deals as perceived by market participants, we develop a mid-range theory of M&A stock market performance. As such, this study offers novel theoretical and empirical insights to scholars, and implications for practitioners.

The power of great novelists' storytelling is demonstrated by their ability to shape social attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, and even to make life more worth living. However, although narrative pedagogical methods are widely employed in business education, and there are literature-focused electives, business seems to be too busy to require students to read novels. Novels may be perceived to be too long to generate an immediate return on investment. Few great novels are about business, and fewer still are set in a business environment relevant to the economic and technological context of the 21st century. The ones that are, however, are worth the investment, as they just might turn our business students into better business people. This novel claim builds upon the widely accepted thesis that narrative pedagogy cultivates better business people and increasing scientific evidence of the benefits of reading great novels. It goes further to suggest that great novels might belong as part of the core ethics requirement in that the form and quality of a narrative determines its enduring, ethical effectiveness. Particularly, novels distinctively explore the intersection of what to do and how to live that management education needs to develop better persons and more responsible professionals.

In a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, we developed a model of the functions of positive work relationships, with an explicit focus on the role that these relationships play in employee flourishing. Stories that employees told about positive relationships at work revealed that relationships serve a broad range of functions, including the traditionally-studied functions of task assistance, career advancement, and emotional support, as well as less studied functions of personal growth, friendship, and the opportunity to give to others. Building on this taxonomy, we validated a scale - the Relationship Functions Inventory - and developed theory suggesting differential linkages between the relationship functions and outcomes indicative of employee flourishing. Results revealed unique associations between functions and outcomes, such that task assistance was most strongly associated with job satisfaction, giving to others was most strongly associated with meaningful work, friendship was most strongly associated with positive emotions at work, and personal growth was most strongly associated with life satisfaction. Our results suggest that work relationships play a key role in promoting employee flourishing, and that examining the differential effects of a taxonomy of relationship functions brings precision to our understand of how relationships impact individual flourishing.

Effectively capturing opportunities requires rapid decision-making. We investigate the speed of opportunity evaluation decisions by focusing on firms' venture termination and venture advancement decisions. Experience, standard operating procedures, and confidence allow firms to make opportunity evaluation decisions faster; we propose that a firm's attentional orientation, as reflected in its project portfolio, limits the number of domains in which these speed-enhancing mechanisms can be developed. Hence firms' decision speed is likely to vary between different types of decisions. Using unique data on 3,269 mineral exploration ventures in the Australian mining industry, we find that firms with a higher degree of attention toward earlier-stage exploration activities are quicker to abandon potential opportunities in early development but slower to do so later, and that such firms are also slower to advance on potential opportunities at all stages compared to firms that focus their attention differently. Market dynamism moderates these relationships, but only with regard to initial evaluation decisions. Our study extends research on decision speed by showing that firms are not necessarily fast or slow regarding all the decisions they make, and by offering an opportunity evaluation framework that recognizes that decision makers can, in fact often do, pursue multiple potential opportunities simultaneously.

Despite the proliferation of strategy process and practice research, we lack understanding of the historical embeddedness of strategic processes and practices. In this paper, we present three historical approaches with the potential to remedy this deficiency. First, realist history can contribute to a better understanding of the historical embeddedness of strategic processes; in particular, comparative historical analysis can explicate the historical conditions, mechanisms, and causality in strategic processes. Second, interpretative history can add to our knowledge of the historical embeddedness of strategic practices, and microhistory can specifically help to understand the construction and enactment of these practices in historical contexts. Third, poststructuralist history can elucidate the historical embeddedness of strategic discourses, and genealogy can in particular increase our understanding of the evolution and transformation of strategic discourses and their power effects. Thus, this paper demonstrates how in their specific ways historical approaches and methods can add to our understanding of different forms and variations of strategic processes and practices, the historical construction of organizational strategies, and historically constituted strategic agency.

We augment transaction cost economics' (TCE) bounded rationality assumption with heuristics (framing) and cognitive biases to expand the understanding of hierarchical governance in the theory. TCE traditionally puts opportunism in the frontseat, while primarily relegating bounded rationality to the support role of invoking incomplete contracts. The theory also suggests that hierarchical governance effectively mitigates opportunism-based transaction costs, making it difficult to explain why hierarchies are not always used. However, when an augmented bounded rationality assumption is incorporated into TCE, we argue, first, that bounded rationality is a separate source of transaction costs, and, second, that these costs are not equally mitigated by all forms of hierarchy. Instead, different hierarchical forms are associated with particular frames and social referents that naturally enhance specific bounded rationality-based conflicts, allowing certain hierarchical forms to mitigate bounded rationality-based transaction costs better than others. As a result, bounded rationality takes a frontseat in the theory, addressing prior critiques of TCE, expanding the governance questions addressed by the theory and creating a new moderating role for asset specificity in internal exchanges.

Over the past decade, the terms "crisis" and "crisis management" have become increasingly popular topics of interest for business professionals and management academics alike. According to the Institute for Crisis Management (2013), "Newsworthy business crises have been on a steady upward trend since 2009.

Social enterprise has gained widespread acclaim as a tool for addressing social and environmental problems. Yet, because these organizations integrate the social welfare and commercial logics, they face the challenge of pursuing goals that frequently conflict with each other. Studies have begun to address how established social enterprises can manage these tensions, but we know little about how, why, and with what consequences social entrepreneurs mix competing logics as they create new organizations. To address this gap, we develop a theoretical model based in identity theory that helps to explain: (1) how the commercial and social welfare logics become relevant to entrepreneurship, (2) how different types of entrepreneurs perceive the tension between these logics, and (3) the implications this has for how entrepreneurs go about recognizing and developing social enterprise opportunities. Our approach responds to calls from organizational and entrepreneurship scholars to extend existing frameworks of opportunity recognition and development to better account for social enterprise creation.

The number of constructs developed to assess workplace aggression has flourished in recent years, leading to confusion over what meaningful differences exist (if any) between the constructs. We argue that one way to frame the field of workplace aggression is via approach/avoidance principles, with various workplace aggression constructs (e.g., abusive supervision, supervisor undermining, and workplace ostracism) differentially predicting specific approach or avoidance emotions and behaviors. Using two multi-wave field sample of employees, we demonstrate the utility of approach/avoidance principles in conceptualizing workplace aggression constructs, as well as the processes and boundary conditions through which they uniquely influence outcomes. Implications for the workplace aggression literature are discussed.

Resource dependence theorists argue that boards of directors with political capital can benefit focal firms by reducing uncertainty and providing preferential resources. Here, we develop theory regarding the downside of board political capital. As the principal-principal agency problem characterizes many parts of the world, we argue that board political capital can exacerbate this problem by enabling large blockholders to undertake more appropriation of firm wealth. Further, we explore how this enabling effect is moderated by ownership-, industry-, and environment-level contingencies. We find empirical support for our arguments using 32,174 directors in 1,046 Chinese listed firms over the period 2008 - 2011. Our study sheds light on new ways in which resource dependence and agency theories can be integrated to advance the extant research on board governance and corporate political strategy.

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MANILA: Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the International Criminal Court (ICC) should ‘hurry up’ with its probe of his war on drugs, remaining firm in his defence of the brutal campaign as he said the investigation should start immediately.

“I’m asking the ICC to hurry up, and if possible, they can come here and start the investigation tomorrow,“ Duterte said in a congressional inquiry on his war on drugs.

“If I am found guilty, I will go to prison.”

According to police data, more than 6,200 people died in anti-drug operations under Duterte’s presidency, during which police typically said they had killed suspects in self-defence.

Human rights groups believe the real toll to be far greater, with thousands more users and small-time peddlers killed in mysterious circumstances by unknown assailants.

“I assume full responsibility for whatever happened in the actions taken by law enforcement agencies of this country to... stop the serious problem of drugs affecting our people,“ Duterte said.

The ICC last year cleared the way for an investigation to into the thousands of deaths and other suspected rights abuses.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in March 2019, when Duterte was president. Appeals judges at the ICC subsequently ruled prosecutors still had jurisdiction over the alleged crimes because they occurred when the Philippines was an ICC member.

KUALA LUMPUR: The shift towards subscription-based services is gaining traction in Malaysia, aligning with a broader global trend that redefines how consumers access products.

This model provides an appealing option for many Malaysians, particularly young families and newlyweds, who face rising living costs.

Offering high-quality appliances on a subscription basis eases the financial burden of ownership, allowing consumers to enjoy premium products without the pressure of a large upfront investment.

One notable brand offering subscription-based home appliance services is the South Korean brand, LG.

LG Malaysia product director of subscription business Hojin Jung said the introduction of the LG Rent Up Subscription in Malaysia is a natural progression of the company’s commitment to providing innovative and accessible solutions tailored to the evolving needs of modern consumers.

“LG Rent Up Subscription is inspired by our success with subscription models in South Korea, where we saw significant growth, driven by increasing demand for convenience and affordability.

“Recognising similar trends here, we noticed a growing interest in flexible ownership models in Malaysia, spurred by the need for more cost-effective solutions amidst rising living expenses and fuelled by shifting consumer preferences.

“Since its launch in March 2024, the market response has been encouraging. We have seen growing inquiries from customers who have signed up for our water purifier subscription model and are now exploring subscriptions for other high-demand appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and TVs.

“This shift highlights a changing mindset in how Malaysians approach home appliance ownership – especially among younger, urban consumers who prioritise access over ownership, seeking premium products without the upfront financial commitment,” Hojin told SunBiz.

He said urbanisation and the desire for more sustainable, convenience-focused living have made subscription services an attractive option.

“By offering top-tier technology on a subscription basis, we make high-end living more accessible while emphasising affordability and environmental responsibility. LG’s Rent Up Subscription model meets Malaysians’ evolving needs, allowing them to enjoy premium technology without the burden of ownership,” he said.

Hojin said the subscription model is gaining popularity among young Malaysians, especially urban professionals and families facing high living costs and limited space.

This trend, he said, reflects a growing shift toward a ‘sharing economy,‘ where access to energy-efficient appliances without the financial strain of ownership is valued.

LG Rent Up Subscription’s launch saw a strong uptake in Kuala Lumpur and major cities, where 40% of tech-savvy millennials prefer renting to stay updated with technology affordably.

Elaborating on the model further, Hojin said that although subscription services share similarities across markets, the Malaysian context has distinct differences.

“In South Korea, for example, the rental model for water purifiers is well-established, with over 70% market penetration. Malaysia, meanwhile, is still in its early phase, but consumer awareness is rising quickly. Moreover, this trend is not isolated to Malaysia. LG is actively preparing to introduce the subscription model in other markets, including Taiwan and Thailand, by year-end.”

Touching on the vision for LG Rent Up in Malaysia, Hojin said the LG Rent Up Subscription is just the beginning of a transformative journey in how it engages with consumers in Malaysia.

“As we look ahead, we plan to expand our subscription offerings to include a wider array of smart home appliances and electronics, reflecting the growing demand for connected living solutions.

“Our vision for LG Rent Up Subscription is to enhance the customer experience by offering seamless integration with our LG ThinQ technology, which already empowers our appliances to be more intuitive and user-friendly. This will allow our customers to enjoy a smart, responsive lifestyle, further elevating the convenience and efficiency of their homes,” he explained.

Hojin said that as the subscription economy continues to evolve, particularly among tech-savvy and environmentally conscious consumers, LG Rent Up Subscription aims to play a pivotal role in making premium technology more accessible.

“Our ultimate goal is to foster a circular economy model in which subscribing to high-quality appliances reduces the financial burden on consumers and contributes to sustainability by extending product lifecycles and minimising waste.

“The more we enhance our subscription model, the more committed we are to making innovative technology more attainable. We ultimately aim to enrich the lives of our customers while promoting responsible consumption and environmental stewardship,” Hojin said.

The Philippines is pursuing a partnership with Norway to unlock the potential of natural gas in sectors beyond power generation, including logistics and aviation.

Philippine Airlines posted a Q3 net income of P789 million, down 82% y/y from its Q3/23 net income of P4,278 million, and down 70% q/q from its Q2/24 net income of P2,590 million.

Philippine troops will join Australia's largest military exercise for the first time next year, while the Australian Defense Force will make their debut in Philippine-led war games, both countries' defense chiefs announced Wednesday, November 13.

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Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir holds virtual meeting in NY

Mehwish’s sequin skirt was perfectly complemented by a matching silk button-down that whispered "class"

Mahal's husband belonged to militant wing of the terror group

The Nobel laureate emphasised the importance of supporting Pakistani films and dramas to encourage the industry.

Special training for officers and provision of armoured vehicles were key directives from the Punjab CM today

Heavy police presence and CCTV monitoring ensure security in Rahim Yar Khan's by-election.

European Commission initially accused Apple of receiving "illegal" tax benefits from Ireland over two decades

Apple’s shares fell 1.7 per cent on Tuesday, a day after the US tech giant unveiled its new iPhones with AI

The first shot to use Section 230 to force adversarial interoperability on platforms has hit a setback. Earlier this year, we wrote about an absolutely fascinating lawsuit that was an attempt to activate a mostly-ignored part of Section 230 in a really interesting way. Most people know about Section 230 for its immunity protections for […]

A female polio health worker administers polio drops to a child during the anti-polio vaccination campaign aimed at eradicating polio in the provincial capital. — AFPThis is second polio case reported from Qila Saifullah in 2024.Pakistan one of only two polio endemic countries in...