Business Commons^™

Technology As The Sovereign: A Dual-Path Model Of Managers’ Prioritization Of Technical Tasks, Hesheng Huang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Competitive pressures challenge managers to navigate a multitude of responsibilities. On the basis of Vancouver and colleagues’ (Vancouver et al., 2010; Ballard et al., 2016) multiple-task pursuit framework, Sherf, Venkataramani, and Gejendran (2019) theorized that when faced with competition between technical tasks (e.g., getting things done, meeting assigned goals, promoting quality or accuracy of work, satisfying customer demands, and fulfilling technical responsibilities) and justice tasks (e.g., evaluating employees’ performance, recognizing employees’ achievements, and allocating rewards), managers tend to prioritize technical tasks over justice tasks under high workload demands. On this basis, I aim to examine a model that encompasses the …

Merchant Guild Culture And Companies’ Sustainable Development: An Empirical Investigation Based On Esg Performance, Yi Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In the context of global economic growth and growing emphasis on sustainable development, this study focuses on the impact of merchant guild culture, an important part of traditional Chinese culture, on the sustainable development of enterprises. Through an in-depth exploration of the historical evolution and cultural connotations of merchant guild culture, this paper systematically analyzes its potential influence on corporate behavior and sustainable development. Using a sample of A-share listed companies and applying regression analysis and other empirical research methods, this study finds that merchant guild culture facilitates the sustainable development of enterprises. Mechanism analysis reveals that merchant guild culture …

Partner Performance Evaluation, Disclosure Of Key Audit Matters, And Audit Quality, Shenghua Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Transparency of information and audit quality are crucial for the efficiency and stability of the market. The disclosure of key audit matters has become an essential part of audit reports, yet there remains widespread debate regarding the role of key audit matters. This study finds a significant positive correlation between the extent of key audit matter disclosures and audit quality. Detailed disclosures can enhance information transparency, strengthen auditors’ sense of responsibility, and reduce information asymmetry. However, over-templating may have negative effects on audit quality, leading to a lack of personalized judgment by auditors. Additionally, this paper suggests that the partner …

An Agent-Based Computational Finance Simulation Model To Study Market Efficiency, Wei Feng, Keng Siau, Wee-Yeap Lau, Lim-Thye Goh, Haonan Chen

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The advancement of computational modeling, data systems, and digital infrastructure has enabled the rise of agent-based computational finance (ACF). This study models interactions among heterogeneous investors. By embedding behavioral logics such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) preferences and volatility thresholds, the model captures microstructural dynamics under different trading rules. Using ACF, the authors compare transaction plus 0 day (T+0) to transaction plus 1 day (T+1). Results show that T+0 improves price discovery, deepens liquidity, and reduces transaction costs. From a computational perspective, this research contributes to ACF by showing how policy logic and investor heterogeneity can be encoded and …

Digital Infrastructure Development Through Digital Infrastructuring Work: An Institutional Work Perspective, Adrian Yeow, Wee-Kiat Lim, Samer Faraj

CCX Research

Being able to understand and characterize the digital infrastructure development (DID) process has become even more pressing today due to the rapid advent and implementation of new digital infrastructure (DI) in organizations as well as since the COVID-19 crisis. While information systems (IS) research has begun to recognize the institutional nature of such digital infrastructures, there remains a gap in our understanding of how such developments unfold from an institutional perspective. Through our field study of a digital infrastructure development project involving the implementation of an enterprise-wide electronic medical record system at a large US medical facility, we show how …

Interfaces, Social Information Processing, And Diversity Cascades: How Board Diversity Influences Invention Output, Daniel Z. Mack, Guoli Chen, Po-Hsuan Hsu, Yen Teik Lee, Gerard George

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Although recent studies report a positive relationship between board diversity and firms' invention output, less is known about the mechanisms by which they operate, given that boards are typically far removed from on-the-ground invention activities. Drawing from research on interfaces and social information processing, we propose a theory of diversity cascades across the organizational hierarchy. Specifically, we posit that board diversity has a positive––albeit indirect––influence on firms' invention output. This relationship is mediated by the diversity of top management teams and inventor diversity, as board diversity cascades from the top to lower ranks of an organization. This indirect effect is …

Risk And Crisis Communication Research In Singapore, Augustine Pang, Jerena Ng, Jason Shi-Yang Lim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This chapter aims to capture the latest insights on the state of risk and crisis communication research in Singapore, examined through the theoretical lens posited by Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) (Coombs, 2023). This chapter is divided into three sections: the first, consolidates risk and crisis communication research studies, the second examines the state of research, and the third offers a case study on the research conducted. Last but not least, we offer some suggestions on how research can grow. It is hoped that this chapter can offer a comprehensive view of risk and crisis communication research in Singapore and …

The Effect Of Computer Monitoring On Employees’ Productivity In Telecommuting Arrangements, Yea Hee Ko, In Gyun Baek

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When employees work from home, organizations have traditionally placed a stronger reliance on output-based controls because of the inability to physically observe its employees. Because of recent advances in technology, however, many organizations now use input-based controls. One such input-based control is computer monitoring, which records the number of hours spent working and leaves out any time in which an employee does not perform work activities. On the one hand, computer monitoring may provide productivity-enhancing benefits by reducing the likelihood of employees experiencing self-control problems, such as procrastination. On the other hand, computer monitoring may motivate reduced effort by decreasing …

Redesigning Home Reversion Products To Empower Retirement For Singapore's Public Flat Owners, Koon Shing Kwong, Jing Rong Goh, Jordan Jie Xin Lee, Ting Lin Collin Chua

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper introduces an innovative sell-type home reversion product aimed at monetizing Singapore’s public flats, serving as a new alternative to the existing Singapore Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS). This new product not only retains the LBS’s guaranteed period of residence in the property along with life annuity incomes but also enhances the product features to meet specific homeowner needs, including the ability to age in place, flexibility in retaining part of the property, options for bequests, and guaranteed principal return. By incorporating these additional features, the new product seeks to stimulate greater demand for monetizing public flats among asset-rich but …

Impact Of Team Power Disparity On Team Performance: The Role Of Team Power Legitimacy, Teamwork, And Team Power Distance, Yong Ren

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study explores the mechanism by which team power disparity affects team efficacy, specifically analyzing the impact of team power disparity on team performance through a sequential mediating mechanism, which consists of team members’ perceptions of power legitimacy first and then team cooperation. Moreover, this study examined the boundary moderating role of team power distance in the impacts of team power disparity on team power legitimacy, as well as its subsequent impact on team cooperation and team performance. Through analyzing multi-timepoint data collected from 76 teams, the study found that team power disparity negatively affected team power legitimacy, thereby reducing …

How Can Chinese Culture Go Abroad? Evidence From Successful Establishment Of Chinese Academic Foreign Translation Projects, Tian Lan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Compared to Chinese economy scale, the global understanding and recognition of Chinese culture are quite superficial, it is crucial to promote Chinese culture go abroad through academic exchanges between China and other countries. This study explores and validates the relationship and applicability of Chinese culture “Going Global” based on the translation project of Chinese academic works. Through case analysis and the development of data models, it aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical tools for relevant institutions and individuals.

The study begins with qualitative research on cases, describing and analyzing typical examples to demonstrate how Chinese Academic Translation (CAT) projects …

The Effect Of Human Resource Business Partners' Power On Business Managers' Work Outcomes: The Mediating Role Of Voice, Wei Liu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As a fundamental construct in social sciences, power is defined as an ability to influence others’ behavior to pursue one’s own interests, which affects the work outcomes of individuals within the organizations. The main purpose of Human Resource Business Partners (HRBPs) is to cooperate with business managers to achieve work outcomes, but in practice, HRBPs are often positioned differently in different organizations due to the lack of a precise definition of HRBPs, so their support to business managers is different. In-depth research on the power and influence of HRBPs can provide theoretical guidance for enhancing the internal work outcomes within …

Older People's Consumption Decisions On Technological Products From A Time Perspective, Xiaowei Huang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The Silver Wave and the Technological Wave are leading social changes in the 21st century. Globally, aging populations have become increasingly dependent on technology. Smart health devices, smart home gadgets, and mental health tools can improve older adults' quality of life, enhance health management, and promote social interaction. Smart products, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), offer enhanced support for older adults, ranging from remote health monitoring to social companionship. The improvement in AI technology, in turn, expands the potential of technological products to address older consumers’ physical and emotional needs. However, most existing studies don't address deeper personality traits such as …

Does Social Capital Mitigate Managerial Self-Dealing? Evidence From Insider Trading, Sung Gon Chung, Jimmy Lee, Sang Hyun Park

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

In this study, we examine whether the social capital surrounding the firm’s corporate headquarters mitigates managerial self-dealing in the form of opportunistic insider trading. We find strong evidence that the level of social capital in the region surrounding the firm’s headquarters is negatively and significantly associated with insider trading profitability. We also find that the negative association between social capital and insider trading profitability is more pronounced when governance is weaker and corporate opacity is higher, instances where insiders have greater opportunities to trade on their private information. Further analyses on the potential mechanisms suggest that the negative association is …

Natural Capital Credit Risk Assessment In Agricultural Lending: An Approach Based On The Natural Capital Protocol, Francisco Ascui, Theodor Florian Cojoianu

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

It is increasingly recognised that financial institutions have significant impacts and dependencies on natural capital – defined as the stock of the world’s renewable and non-renewable natural resources and ecosystems that yield flows of environmental goods and services, which directly and indirectly underpin the global economy and human wellbeing. Historically, many of these impacts and dependencies have been overlooked. The value of goods and services that nature provides ‘for free’ has often been ignored, and resources have typically been priced at their cost of extraction, rather than the cost of their replacement or substitution, which would promote more sustainable long-term …

How Deep-Level And Surface-Level Board Diversity, Formal And Informal Social Structures Affect Innovation, Guoli Chen, Po-Hsuan Hsu, Yen Teik Lee, Daniel Z. Mack

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Despite a growing interest in understanding how board diversity shapes firms’ innovation, findings about the impact of board diversity have remained mixed. In this paper, we conceptualize board diversity as two forms – deep-level and surface-level – and find that these two forms of board diversity have opposing effects on a firm's innovation. We also theorize how formal and informal social structures can strengthen the positive effect of deep-level diversity yet simultaneously weaken the negative impact of surface-level diversity. We test our hypotheses with a panel of 42,432 firm-year observations from 2000 to 2019. Our paper contributes to the literature …

Risk Spillover Effect Of China-Asean Supply Chains: Insights Of Industrial Transfer, Zeyang Bian, Yuning Zhang, Keng Siau, Yaqian Zhang, Jianjia He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As labour costs in China increase, labour-intensive industries are migrating to ASEAN countries, attracted by lower labour costs and market potential. This shift not only affects the economies of China and ASEAN but also reshapes the global manufacturing landscape. This paper investigates the correlation and spillover of supply chain risks using production exposure indicators derived from inter-country input-output data and the R-Vine Copula model. We assess the risk spillover of each country within the global supply chain. Our findings indicate that industrial relocation can significantly alter supply chain structures, thereby affecting the concentration and direction of risks. While China's role …

Path Nets: Concurrence And Recurrence In The Dynamics Of Organizing, Brian T. Pentland, Waldemar Kremser, Kenneth T. Goh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article proposes a link between temporal structuring and the dynamics of organizing that is manifest in a fabric of concurrent paths that we call a path net. Path nets are shaped by mechanisms of temporal structuring, such as entrainment, planning, agency, and chance. Path nets materialize the effects of temporal structuring “here” and “now” in the comings and goings of actors and resources, thereby setting the stage for doings and sayings of situated practice and shaping the dynamics of organizing. Path nets offer a parsimonious system of picturing the complexity of organizing that is built on a processual ontology …

A Power Dependence Model Of The Impact Of Leader Impostorism On Supervisor Support And Undermining: The Moderating Role Of Power Distance, Xueqi Wen, Zihan Liu, Feng Qiu, Keith Leavitt, Xingyu Wang, Ziyang Tang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Leaders, often perceived as possessing exceptional confidence and competence, are not immune to feelings of self-doubt. Leader impostorism describes the experience that one’s attributes, experiences, skills, and abilities fall short of the standards expected in the leadership role, resulting in a sense of deception in fulfilling leadership responsibilities. While existing research has examined the antecedents and individual outcomes of leader impostorism, its implications for leaders’ treatment of subordinates remain largely unexplored. In this research, we investigate the downstream consequences of leader impostorism on behaviors directed toward subordinates. Integrating research on leader impostorism with power dependence theory, we propose that for …

Case Study: Should A Chro Abandon Performance Improvement Plans?, Devasheesh P. Bhave, Sin Mei Cheah

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

At Barton Creek Technologies, Anna Chen, the chief human resources officer, faces a dilemma over the company’s performance improvement plan (PIP). Introduced as a supportive tool to rehabilitate struggling employees, the PIP has widely become perceived as a punitive mechanism. An internal audit revealed that only 15% of employees placed on PIPs complete them, while 60% are terminated and 25% go on stress-­related medical leave, often not returning. Managers admit they lack the training to implement PIPs effectively, and employees describe the plans as stigmatizing and demoralizing. Chen is torn between reforming the program into a mentorship-based system—requiring significant investment …

Bogging Down Investors: An Unintended Consequence Of Litigation Risk, Siwen Fu, Ke Wang, Liandong Zhang, Liu Zheng

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Securities litigation risk is a well-recognized yet underexplored source of financial reporting complexity or unreadability. This study examines the effect of litigation risk on the readability of corporate financial reports. The 1999 Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) court ruling unexpectedly reduced litigation risk for firms within the Ninth Circuit Court’s jurisdiction. Using a difference-in-differences design centered on the SGI court ruling, we find that, while the readability of financial reports generally declines over the sample period, treated firms in the Ninth Circuit experience a comparatively smaller decline in readability than control firms in other states after the ruling. Put differently, treated …

Breaking The Language Barriers? Machine Translation Technology And Analysts’ Forecasts For Firms With Foreign Operations, Bingxu Fang, Pengkai Lin

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

We study the impact of machine translation technology on analysts’ forecasts for firms with foreign operations. Exploiting the staggered rollout of Google Translate’s support for translating foreign languages into English, we find that U.S. analysts improve their forecast accuracy for firms with substantial business exposure to the corresponding foreign countries. We obtain similar evidence using an international sample of analysts covering firms outside their home countries. The improvement in forecast accuracy is greater for analysts with limited language skills or brokerage resources to process foreign information. Further analysis suggests that analysts raise more questions about firms’ foreign exposure during conference …

Anatomical Depiction: How Showing A Product's Inner Structure Shapes Product Valuations, Seo Yoon Kang, Junghan Kim, Arun Lakshmanan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Anatomical depiction is a technique where the product is decomposed into components that are spatially arranged in a layer-by-layer manner to visually explicate its inner structure. The authors demonstrate that anatomical depiction, compared to non-anatomical depiction, enhances product valuation. This effect occurs because anatomical depiction elicits a ‘coming together’ of the inner components in consumers’ minds thereby evoking a gestalt image of the product – a process labeled simulated assemblage. The elicitation of simulated assemblage in turn boosts their confidence in the product’s performance. Two field experiments first demonstrate that anatomical depiction leads to greater engagement in online settings such …

Seeking New Ground For Managing: An Introduction To The Special Issue On “Awakening To Ourselves, One Another, And The Earth: Awareness Practices And Systems Change”, Kathryn Goldman Schuyler, Lemuel W. Watson, Jochen Reb

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We have created this special issue of the Humanistic Management Journal to explore how the interdependence of humans with one another and the Earth is supported by awareness-based systems change. Together, over a period of many months, we as an editorial team developed the focus and description of what we sought to bring together. The combined research, projects, and practices discussed here respect both science and spiritual traditions as sources of knowledge. The articles are intended to contribute to dialogue and actions that yield meaningful participation of all peoples and help readers see new possibilities for a healthy Earth. We …

Why Some Companies Weather Trade Was Better Than Others?, Di Fan, Daphne W. Yiu, Pengcheng Ma, Lin Cui

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In 2018, the U.S. government levied tariffs affecting more than $250 billion of Chinese products. As a result, many American buyers began turning to alternative suppliers to avoid the significant new costs associated with purchasing from China. Recent research found that transactions between U.S. buyers and Chinese suppliers fell by more than 18% immediately following the start of the trade war. However, the study also found that not all companies were affected equally: Chinese firms that were more innovative or more socially responsible were more likely to retain their U.S. buyers, while buyers were more likely to distance themselves from …

Will Labubu Be A Keeper Like Hello Kitty And Pokémon?, Hannah H. Chang, Joy Zhang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing Hannah Chang and Joy Zhang, a student from United World College of South East Asia, explored the unique qualities that enable certain toy fads to transcend trends and become cultural icons. They also examined the rising popularity of Labubu, offering insights into whether it has the potential to achieve enduring icon status comparable to the likes of Hello Kitty.

Bank Competition Amid Digital Disruption: Implications For Financial Inclusion, Erica Xuewei Jiang, Yang Gloria Yu, Jinyuan Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

We study how digital disruption impacts bank competition, considering consumers’ heterogeneous digital preferences. We find that the rollout of 3G networks contracts bank branch networks and leads to divergence in branching and pricing strategies across banks. These developments benefit young consumers but increase the unbanked rate for poorer and older consumers. A structural model shows that the higher perceived digital quality by younger borrowers mainly prompts these adjustments, causing significant surplus losses for older savers. Counterfactual exercises illustrate that subsidizing older savers opting for mobile banking effectively offsets these disparities at minimal cost, facilitating a smoother digital transition.

Research On The Impact Of Firms' Perception Of Economic Policy Uncertainty On Their Digital Transformation, Fanwei Meng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In an era characterized by globalization and digital advancement, economic policies play a critical role in the governmental regulation of economic activities. These policies are characterized by uncertainty due to a variety of internal and external factors, including international politics, economic cycles, and market fluctuations. The way firms, as microeconomic entities, perceive economic policy uncertainty (EPU) has a direct impact on their investment decisions and innovation activities. Nowadays, digital transformation has emerged as a vital strategy for firms seeking to enhance their competitiveness and adapt to evolving markets. However, digital transformation often comes with challenges, such as high input costs …

Competency Model For General Managers Of Chain Independent Clinical Laboratory (Icl) Subsidiaries, Haiyan Wen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

An independent clinical laboratory (ICL) is a medical institution that has received approval from health authorities, holds independent legal status, and specializes in medical testing or pathological diagnostics, assuming responsibility independently. It is also referred to as a third-party medical testing laboratory. During in-depth research on the enterprises, it was found that while the chain ICL industry is rapidly growing, the issues of uncertainty and difficulty in selecting subsidiary general managers have become a common concern and pain point among senior managers.

The study combines theoretical and data analysis to identify distinct and important competency characteristics of general managers of …

Smart Heuristics In Business Relationships: Toward A Typology, Jochen Reb, Nilotpal Jha

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of heuristics in business relationships. We distinguish between four categories: (1) general heuristics used in the context of a business relationship but that may also (and are often) used in other contexts; (2) relational context heuristics that are typically used in a relational context; (3) relational information heuristics that rely on relational information and (4) genuine relational heuristics that use relational information and are applied in relational contexts. Design/methodology/approach – We draw on existing literature on heuristics and business relationships to inform our conceptual paper. Findings – We …