Since the advent of the Internet, online shopping has grown substantially across the globe. Understanding how to increase customers¡¦ loyalty through lifting up the level of satisfaction has been emphasized by both researchers and practitioners. Through integrating expectation-confirmation theory and IS success, this study attempts to examine how consumers¡¦ expectation, perception and confirmation and satisfaction on information quality, system quality, and service quality affects their continuance intention toward online shopping. Different from prior research focusing on overall satisfaction and continuance intention, this study proposed an extended model to examine consumers¡¦ satisfaction and continuance intention. The model and relationship were tested and validated by using data collected from 368 full- and part-time students in four universities in Taiwan. The results showed that confirmation and satisfaction are strongly affected by perceived quality but not expectation. However, the impact of satisfaction on continuance intention is not as strong as expected. The implication for research and practice are also discussed.

Herzberg (1959) proposed a two-factor model, often named as two-factor theory when adopted by the following researches. Through measuring the level of dissatisfaction and satisfaction, he classified antecedents of work satisfaction into hygiene and motivator two type. While hygiene factors are variables which lead to dissatisfaction, motivators are variables correlated with satisfaction. In marketing area, Kano (1984) also proposed a similar concept, named two-way quality model. This model adopts both satisfaction and dissatisfaction concepts and, based on these concepts, he further classified quality properties into Must-be, Attractive and One-dimension three types. This implies that the separation of satisfaction with two dimensions allow researchers to understand how each antecedent functions. However, in past information system (IS) area, IS satisfaction was treated as a linear concept and measured with Likert or semantic differential scale. This approach lead to a direct consequence that identifying possible antecedents is possible but understanding the way they function is difficult. The purpose of this study is to develop a better approach to understand how different antecedents affect IS satisfaction. We attempt to adopt the confirmation concept in expectation-disconfirmation theory (EDT). Through measuring the level of confirmation (or disconfirmation) and satisfaction (or dissatisfaction), this study attempts to clarify how each antecedent generate effect under different contexts. This study attempts to achieve its purpose through a two-stage approach. We first used modified Delphi obtain various antecedents of IS satisfaction. In this stage, opinions from 29 scholars and experts resulted in 6 dimensions, contain 28 variables in total. In the next stage, we collected empirical data through survey to classify 28 variables into different types. We find the factors about the relation with user and IT are hygiene factor, e.g. system quality etc. The factors about the relation with user, IT and task are motivator, e.g. information quality etc. The factors about the relation with user, IT and organization are motivator and performance factor, e.g. management support and computer training are performance factors, MIS¡¦s service quality etc. are motivator. The result should provide insightful implications for both IS academia and practitioners.

In this paper, the channel estimation problem for a two-way relay network (TWRN) based on two different wireless channel assumptions is considered. Previous works have proposed a training-based channel estimation method to obtain the channel state information (CSI). But in practice the channel change from one data block to another, which may cause the performance degradation due to the outdated CSI. To enhance the performance, the system has to insert more training signal. In order to improve the bandwidth efficiency, we propose a joint channel estimation and data detection method based on expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. From the simulation results, the proposed method can combat the effect of fading channel and still the MSE results are very close to Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) at the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) region. Additionally, as compare with the previous work, the proposed scheme also has a better detection performance for both time-varying and time-invariant channels.

U.S. Treasury Securities are crucially important in many areas of finance. However, zero-coupon yields are not observable in the market. Even though published zero- coupon yields exist, they are sometimes not available for certain research topics or for high frequency. Recently, high frequency data analysis has become popular, and the GovPX database is a good source of tick data for U.S. Treasury securities from which we can construct zero-coupon yield curves. Therefore, we try to t zero- coupon yield curves from low frequency and high frequency data from GovPX by three different methods: the Nelson-Siegel method, the Svensson method, and the cubic spline method. Then, we try to retest the expectations hypothesis (EH) with new zero-coupon yields that are made from GovPX data by three methods using the Campbell and Shiller regression, the Fama and Bliss regression, and the Cochrane and Piazzesi regression. Regardless of the method used (the Nelson-Siegel method, the Svensson method, or the cubic spline method), the expectations hypothesis cannot be rejected in the period from June 1991 to December 2006 for most maturities in many cases. We suggest the possible explanation for the test result of the EH. Based on the overreaction hypothesis, the degree of the overreaction of spread falls over time. Thus, our result supports that the evidence of rejection of the EH has weaken over time. Also, we introduce a new estimation method for the stochastic volatility model of the short-term interest rates. Then, we compare our method with the existing method. The results suggest that our new method works well for the stochastic volatility model of short-term interest rates.

In this paper, let be a sequence of k-record values from a population with common distribution function F. We will characterize the continuous (or discrete) distribution function F by the conditional expectation functions. We also study the necessary and sufficient conditions such that the conditional expectations of k-record values hold for some distribution function F. A corresponding characterization based on weak k-record values and some related characterizations are also investigated.

M & A indeed is one of speedy growing methods for enterprise. But not every one enterprise can get its effectiveness as expectation after conducting merger. There is usually a huge organizational change is hidden behind M & A. The retained employees after the merger face the new company, seems like new employees that just inaugurated, filled with strange and a sense of uncertainty. In 1998, Watson Wyatt Company made a survey and found most of the merger failed to achieve the strategic target as expectation, M & A will ultimately lead to failure or poor performance, in addition to cultural differences, "people" issues can not be integrated effectively by the system is a major key factors, such as the leave of excellent talents, staff remaining in the low efficiency, So triggered the human resources issues discussed after M & A. The purpose of this study was to research successful key factor of human resources integration in the process of M & A which through an interview with qualitative, considering the time appropriateness and the difficulties of backtracking information validity to avoid making poor effectiveness. Especially to choose a case of retailer Taiwan in 2006 as example, French Carrefour merged with British Tesco to study. Also considering the impact of mergers and acquisitions on the acquired employees are greater than the acquiring ones, especially the employees under the middle management level, we selected the remained employees under the middle management level in the acquired corporation as the sample. This empirical study found that the unmet expectation of acquired employees not only from job regulations and benefit, but also from the person-organization fit of the acquiring corporation. The unmet expectation may both affect the psychological and behavioral stress of acquired employees. It also affects the organizational commitment of acquired employees to the acquiring corporation. The unmet expectation has a direct effect on the job stress and organization commitment. It also has an indirect effect on the performance positively through the perceived organizational support. The purpose of this study is to explore the human resources integration challenges under merger and acquisition of the pharmaceutical company A. The findings are from focused interview with employees of different backgrounds including acquired company employees, acquiring (A) company employees and top management team of the A company. The research results indicate that¡G 1.Under M&A, the internal integration team with outsider consulting firm¡¦s professional assistance will minimize the resistances. 2.Under M&A, the specific HR integration structure is needed. 3.Under M&A, the comprehensive communication plan is needed to erase the rumors and gossips. 4.Under M&A, the talent deployment must retain all the talents from both-side companies and eliminate the poor performers in the acquiring company. 5.Under M&A, for ensuring every colleague in the new company move forward to the same goals, the enterprise has to review the performance appraisal and management system.

In markets with cyclical fluctuations, firms may have different dynamic decision rules facing upturns and downturns of industry cycles. This paper extends the dynamic factor demand model to consider industry cycles. Because investment behavior could be endogenous uncertainty involved on industry dynamics, the current industry dynamic models with state-of-the-art would not appropriately interpret industry dynamics. In order to solve the uncertain problem, we utilize the idea of transfer probability in Markov switching model to catch the industry cyclical behavior. Explicitly incorporating the Markov regime switching mechanism based on Nelson and Kim (2000), this paper measures the firm¡¦s dynamic adjustments when facing upturns and downturns of industry cycles. The empirical work is based on firm level data of Taiwan high-technology industries. The empirical results show that the expansionary strategy in labor and capital usage may not have positive impacts on output when considering uncertainty that may be casued by business cycles. To have correct prediction in cyclical fluctuation becomes important task for high-technology firms. However, the positive contribution of exogenous technology to output growth is so significant. This proves why every industry tries to impel technology in recent years. The industry dynamic model integrated with cyclical fluctuation and demand uncertainty allows us to examine how sharp changes in financial factors might affect investment behavior, technological nature and adjustment effects for industries in facing demand and investment shocks.

Village chiefs¡¦ role has been facing great impact and challenge ever since the transition of society, development of information, raise of education level and popularity of communitarianism. Therefore, how village chiefs¡¦ legal position should be set and integrate with village officers as well as community development have been brought into discussion in recent years. While gaps do exist between current academic study and practical operation, this study centers on village chiefs¡¦ position with the case of An-Shun Li of Kaohsiung City for further study. The exploration of literature is divided into three parts: role theory, village chiefs¡¦ position and village systems, and the relationship between village chiefs and community development. Literature review, in-depth interview, and participants¡¦ observation are adopted as research methods. With the concept of status, role expectation, role conflict and role performance in role theory, the study explores the interaction between village chiefs and other connecting village officers, analyzes the problems that chiefs¡¦ encounter under current legal system and then generalizes the role current chiefs should play. The research finds that the biggest difference between current and traditional chiefs is that the role they play as citizens¡¦ participation navigators and community development managers. While government is examining and adjusting village controlling area and government-assigned chief policy, it is advised that concrete solution to be proposed for individual cases which require specific environment. The regulation of village chiefs is wished to become better in the future. A new organization is looking forward to be setting up as a mediator between village chief and community development organization to deal with community affairs, thus to make the local system in line with modern society demands.

Differential framing occurs when individuals with different latent motives assign qualitatively different meanings to the same attributes or events in the environment (James&Mazerolle, 2002; James&McIntyre, 1996). The implications of this phenomenon for the explanation and prediction of behavior are substantial: In perfectly logical fashions, individuals in exactly the same situation have qualitatively different experiences. In this way, differential framing mediates the relationship between motives and the behaviors that comprise traits. This dissertation tested several propositions associated with this phenomenon, and the results tentatively suggest that individuals with contrasting motives form qualitatively distinct impressions of the same organizational cultures.

<p>The problem areas of the 'human side' of mergers andacquisitions as well as post-merger integration are focusedupon in this study. An extensive review of merger-relatedliterature points to the problematic nature of this area oforganisation. Through the analysis of two international casemergers, their post-merger integration processes and theirproblem areas, the nature and causes of these problem areas areinvestigated. The results of the investigation indicate thatexpectations influence mergers and post-merger integration.What seems to be expected of mergers, post-merger integration,of the management of these processes as well as the involvedparties plays a role in the interpretation of and reaction tomerger-related occurrences. If expectations of a merger or anyof its specific features are not met, attitudes towards themerger can get increasingly negative. This evidentlynecessitates 'expectation management' within mergers and theirpost-merger integration processes.</p><p><b>KEY WORDS</b>: merger, acquisition, post-merger integration,'human side' of organisations, expectation, experience, casestudy, emergent theory</p>