by P. Ruby Lee. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-80). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.1 / Chapters / Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1 --- Research Motivation and Issues --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purpose of Study --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Outline --- p.7 / Chapter Two --- Literature Review --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1 --- Retail Structural Change --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Economic Reform and Institutional Change --- p.19 / Chapter Three --- Conceptual Outline of Evolution --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1 --- Acting Agents --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Stimuli and Source of Evolution --- p.27 / Chapter 3.3 --- The Implication of Causality to Retailing --- p.33 / Chapter Four --- The Evolution of Retailing in China --- p.39 / Chapter 4.1 --- A Snapshot of History --- p.39 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Crystallisation of Retail Life --- p.42 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Structure of Causality and the Modes of Behaviour --- p.45 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.59 / Chapter Five --- Conclusion & Implication --- p.65 / Reference --- p.73

Franchising is expected to be the leading method of doing business in the new century. It is thus important to identify the motivational drives and characteristics of franchisees underlying the creation and management of franchising relationships which contribute to the success of franchising. To understand more fully the franchisees' purchase behaviour, the Fishbein and Ajzen theory of reasoned behaviour (TRA) was adopted to explore the important variables of Thailand's potential franchisees. In this study, the relationship between attitude toward purchasing a franchise based on perceived advantages of franchising, subjective norms with respect to purchase, personality traits (the Big Five model of personality dimensions), demographics and prospective franchisees' purchase intention were explored. / Data were collected at the national franchise exposition in Bangkok during 23-26 June, 2005. Questionnaires were given to 520 potential franchisees; however the number of valid questionnaires was 390. A descriptive correlational design was employed. Data were analysed using T-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analyses. Most of the respondents were female (53.9%) owing to the majority of female attendees to the franchise fair, 26-40 years old (64%), had graduated with a bachelor's degree and higher (81%), and were currently employed (89.6%). They also had prior self-employment experience (53.9%). Training provided by the franchiser, well known name, start-up and on-going support were found to be the greatest advantages perceived by the respondents. However, the fifth perceived advantage pertaining to job satisfaction indicates that potential franchisees also care about their job satisfaction which is internal rather than external. In terms of gathering information, the respondents would be more motivated by franchise consultants, franchise fairs, and existing franchisees respectively. As for personality traits, they were rated highly on Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Intellect and Extraversion, while rating low on Neuroticism. / The findings showed a difference between age and intention to become a franchisee, and a difference between occupation and intention to become a franchisee. There was no difference between respondents with and without self-employment history, and intention to become a franchisee. Franchise applicants with different educational levels evidenced no difference in their intention to purchase a franchise. / Pearson's Correlation analysis showed attitude and subjective norms had the most significant correlation with purchase intention, followed by personality traits. Based on the likelihood of becoming a franchisee, the target group of prospective franchisees were retirees and individuals with the age range of 51 years and older, who had a favourable attitude towards franchising. They had professional advice from expert referents, especially from existing franchisees and franchise fairs, and were higher in Conscientiousness, Intellect, Extraversion, and Agreeableness. / The Fishbein and Ajzen theory of reasoned action was effective in explaining prospective franchisees' purchase intention. Enhancing positive attitudes toward franchising, incorporating appeals via expert references, such as existing franchisees, management consultants, franchise consultants, and other opinion leaders, targeting prospective franchisees with the age range of 51 years and older, who are retirees, possessing personal characteristics of Conscientiousness, Intellect, Extraversion and Agreeableness, may prove to be fruitful strategies to promote franchising in Thailand. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D) -- Bond University, 2007. / Bibliography: pages 493-517. Also available via the world Wide Web.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-76).

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

by Leung Sze Man Evon. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-54). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.v / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vi / CHAPTER / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Aims of the Study --- p.1 / Rationale of the Study --- p.3 / Organization of the Study --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- MANAGEMENT IN CHINA --- p.5 / Chapter III. --- CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES -LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / What is Culture ？ --- p.8 / Two School of Thoughts Concerning Managerial Performance --- p.10 / The Practical School of Thought --- p.10 / The Cross-Cultural School of Thought --- p.11 / Conclusion --- p.13 / Chapter IV. --- CULTURAL NOVELTY BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA --- p.14 / Hofstede's Four Dimension Model --- p.16 / Power Distance --- p.16 / Uncertainty Avoidance --- p.17 / Individualism versus Collectivisim --- p.18 / Masculinity versus Femininity --- p.20 / Conclusion --- p.21 / Chapter V. --- HYPOTHESIS --- p.22 / Environment --- p.23 / Customer --- p.24 / Staff --- p.25 / Government and Regulations --- p.26 / Conclusion --- p.27 / Chapter VI. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.28 / Chapter VII. --- FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION --- p.32 / Reasons for Poor Reponse Rate --- p.33 / The Nature of the Consumer Market in PRC --- p.33 / Modification of the Hypothesis --- p.36 / The Actual Practice of Companies in Selecting and Deploying Managers --- p.38 / What Kind of Managers are Culturally Most Appropriate to be Deployed to PRC ？ --- p.41 / Conclusion --- p.44 / Chapter VIII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.45 / APPENDIX --- p.48 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.51

The research presented in this thesis presents a unique experimental environment designed to identify social components that may strengthen the social context of online shopping. This experimental environment is designed to simulate the interaction of customers' social experiences in their offline shopping tasks, e.g. when they visit stores socially to shop with friends or relatives. In collaboration with the simulation environment a fractional factorial experimental study has also been designed to explore how social and co-presence, can be built, measured and improved within online retailers' e-commerce websites. This research investigates whether social and copresence have an impact on user perceived involvement, engagement and interactivity when socially rich elements embedded in a shopping environment are adjusted. A key element of this research investigates the social influence on customers' attitudes, including search and purchase decision behaviour, when online shopping is shared with friends or relatives. A unique research model combining an experimental simulation and fractional factorial design of an experimental study is proposed that examines the effect of socially rich elements on social and co-presence. The proposed model also provides additional insight into the effect and consequences of social and co-presence on perceived involvement, engagement and interactivity in the online shopping experience. Specifically, a fractional factorial design of the experimental study with three interventions was planned and implemented. The experiment involved small groups of two participants who performed a group experimental task with the simulation environment in computer laboratory conditions. The fractional factorial experimental study required the design of unique structured pre- and post-test questionnaires, a novel shopping environment simulation and associated experimental tasks. The population of this research includes staff and students of the University of Sussex. Experimental results support the hypotheses developed in this thesis. They illustrate positive correlations between three interventions and dependent variables. It was found that increased level of social presence results in higher level of experienced involvement, engagement and interactivity with the shopping channel. Also, it was found that social presence has statistically significant effect on perceived involvement and engagement. However, social presence has a main effect on perceived interactivity. In addition, it was found that increased level of social presence reduces consumers' search effort for product information, and also increased level of social presence increases the effectiveness and quality of purchase decision. This thesis demonstrates that retailers could develop innovative new online shopping channels that exploit primarily social presence, i.e. shopping with friends and relatives, to increase revenues because social presence accounts for 15% of the users' intention to buy.