Is a “want” superior to a “need” when requesting financial help? Shedding light on this topic, HKUST’s Jaideep Sengupta and colleagues offer insights into the persuasive power of language in crowdfunding appeals. Their study has important practical implications for fundraisers, marketers, and policymakers alike. Although the terms “want” and “need” are both ... Read More

Learning from experience is critical for organizations to thrive in increasingly competitive markets. However, most studies of experiential learning focus on situations in which actors face a repeated event. Thanks to HKUST’s Jaeho Choi and a colleague, we now know much more about the power of learning through generalization in a world of novelty. “In the ... Read More

In today’s competitive online retail environment, reviews represent an important quality signal that helps customers make more informed purchase decisions. The impact of reviews can propagate up the supply chain, affecting multiple firms’ decisions on pricing and product quality. HKUST’s Dongwook Shin and a colleague shed new light on this phenomenon ... Read More

More and more research suggests that the past return of one firm’s stock can predict the stock returns of other, connected firms—with momentous implications for firm networks and investors. “Such cross-stock return momentum is found among stocks connected by the same industry, supply chain, and geographic location,” explain Jialin Yu of HKUST and a colleague ... Read More

Digital technology is transforming commerce, and the operational strategies of international businesses must change accordingly. HKUST’s Jiatao Li and colleagues assess this new business landscape in their editorial for the Journal of International Business Studies ’ special edition on digitalization. “Businesses are developing digital strategies to create ... Read More

In online retail marketplaces, consumers learn more about products through reviews or ratings, which can then increase their willingness to buy. HKUST’s Zijun (June) Shi and colleagues assess the optimal level of information disclosure in these reputation systems, which can reduce the information asymmetry between sellers and consumers. As the researchers ... Read More

Structural economic changes over time have increased the value of digital technologies. Recent advances in this area, such as analytics, big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, have led nontech firms to follow the tech industry’s lead and invest in digital technologies on a large scale. How has this increased uptake of digital technology ... Read More

Firms’ financial reports are an important source of information for market participants, and relevant disclosure requirements have been imposed by regulators. However, “there is no discussion about the verification requirements of such disclosures,” explain HKUST’s Yan Xiong and colleagues. They offer an alternative explanation for the importance of ... Read More

Limited information sharing between retailers and their suppliers represents a critical bottleneck in the performance of supply chains. Working with a colleague, HKUST’s Hongtao Zhang proposes a novel wholesale pricing mechanism that will benefit both retailers and manufacturers and ultimately enhance supply chain efficiency. “Advances in information ... Read More

In today’s technologically connected world, people learn about others’ purchase decisions on social media and review sites, as well as through direct observation. These decisions are perceived as either a choice or a rejection, explain HKUST’s Sang Kyu Park and co-researchers, who ask a critical question: “Does the mere perception of another’s decision as a ... Read More