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China leads in global automobile production and sales, but fuel vehicle usage causes energy crisis and pollution. Electric vehicles, as energy-saving and environmentally friendly transportation, can alleviate urban ecological pressure and reduce dependence on non-renewable energy. Development of electric vehicles is thus prioritized. However, the current electric vehicle market is immature and faces slow growth due to various constraints. Despite state policies, market performance lags, and consumer acceptance is low, leading to a mismatch between praise and sales. Therefore, exploring factors influencing consumer demand and purchase intention for electric vehicles is crucial. This paper focuses on consumer perceived value to study factors affecting second-hand electric vehicle resale value, offering practical relevance and value. Consumer behavior theory suggests that consumers' purchase decisions hinge on their perception of a product. Consumer perception involves a subjective, overall evaluation of a product or service based on usage purposes and needs, and an analysis of relevant information from various channels. For used electric vehicles, perception includes understanding of appearance, function, cost, and performance.This study aims to analyze factors affecting the resale value of used EVs and explore consumers' perception of this value. Guided by consumer perception, the study conducted a literature review-based comprehensive analysis and qualitative exploration of used EV resale value. The findings reveal that price, battery performance, endurance, environmental protection, and safety significantly impact the resale value of used EVs. Finally, combined with the research conclusions of this paper, management suggestions are put forward, and countermeasures are summarized from the two levels of government and second-hand electric vehicle marketing enterprises

With the rapid development of digital media, internet celebrity live streaming has become a key factor in influencing the consumer decision-making of adolescents, presenting unique regional characteristics in different socio-cultural and economic contexts. This study investigates the differences in consumption habits among adolescents in Macau and Mainland China and their impact on the innovation and reform of the commercial model of internet celebrity live streaming. The methodology employs a questionnaire survey and data analysis to systematically compare the consumption behavior of adolescents in Macao and mainland China, collecting live streaming consumption habits of adolescents in both regions. Statistical methods are used to compare and analyze the consumption patterns within the regions. The analysis indicates that influencers, as internet celebrities with a large number of fans on social media, have a significant impact on adolescents' consumption decisions through their recommendations and evaluations. Firstly, the convenience and diversity of e-commerce platforms provide adolescents with a wealth of consumption choices, such as characteristics and usage effects of products. Secondly, the recommendations and evaluations of influencers have become an important reference for adolescents' consumption. Results show that adolescents in Macau tend to seek entertainment and interaction in their consumption of internet celebrity live streaming, whereas those in Mainland China place greater emphasis on the practicality of the live streaming content and the cost-effectiveness of the products. Moreover, the study reveals the roles of socio-cultural and economic levels in the differences in consumption between the two regions. Based on these insights, it is recommended that live streaming platforms should advance the innovation and reform of their business models to cater to different market characteristics—such as optimizing content recommendation algorithms, enhancing interactive elements, and improving the integration of e-commerce features, thereby promoting business sustainability and economic benefits

In the wave of digital transformation, Chinese banks have taken digital and scenario-based finance as primary strategic goals. The goal is to revolutionize the mobile banking experience and encourage frequent use of mobile banking services. However, assessing customer satisfaction with the various financial and contextual services mobile banking provides is crucial. The main objective of this study is to propose a model based on users' perception of financial usage in mobile banking scenarios and how the development of mobile banking finance and scenarios affects users' choice motivations. The study examined the interview records of 12 mobile banking users through qualitative in-depth interviews and utilized Nvivo qualitative analysis software to analyze the interview content. Through repeated thinking, sorting, and differentiating the data, nine core coding categories were formed. The coding was further refined and deepened to include Financial professionalism, Security, Marketing Stimulation, Innovative Products, Use Experience, Strong Relationship, Trust, Perceived usefulness, and Willingness to use. Based on these categories, a theoretical model of user willingness in the financial scenario of mobile banking has been proposed by referring to the optimized TAM model. The results may provide support to the banking industry in Macau in understanding customers' needs and fostering the positive development of mobile finance and the scene field in Macau

The emergence of blockchain technology in 2008 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of digital currencies, paving the way for the emergence of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Since then, blockchain has undergone four generations of development, expanding its applications across various sectors. In particular, the integration of blockchain into accounting and auditing practices has garnered significant attention due to its potential to transform traditional methods. However, there's a lack of clear understanding of how blockchain impacts traditional auditing practices and finance recordkeeping and the implications for audit quality. Significant challenges and uncertainties hinder its widespread adoption, including technical hurdles, regulatory complexities, and practical barriers. This dissertation aims to determine the transformative impact of blockchain technology on auditing practices and finance recordkeeping. In order to fully understand the impact of blockchain on auditing practices and finance recordkeeping, the dissertation utilizes a mixed sequential research approach that is divided into three phases. The first approach involves gathering qualitative data through interviews with blockchain experts. The second approach involves collecting secondary qualitative data through a systematic literature review to determine the changes that blockchain has brought to traditional auditing practices and finance recordkeeping. This is followed by a bibliometric analysis to identify current trends in blockchain research related to auditing practices and finance recordkeeping. The third approach involves gathering data through an online-focused survey distributed to finance and other industry professionals to determine the challenges organizations face in implementing blockchain technology in auditing practices and finance recordkeeping. Additionally, in phase three, case studies will be conducted based on the survey responses to examine the hindrances and challenges faced by organizations in implementing blockchain and its impact on auditing practices in different regions and among different demographic groups. As the findings indicate, Integrating blockchain technology into accounting and auditing practices can bring about significant improvements in transparency, efficiency, and fraud prevention. However, there are several challenges that must be overcome for successful implementation, such as technical difficulties, regulatory uncertainties, and privacy concerns. To overcome these hurdles, it is necessary to establish clear regulatory frameworks and innovative solutions. Although smart contracts offer automation, they also pose security risks that need to be addressed. Despite these challenges, blockchain has the potential to revolutionize auditing by enabling real-time auditing and enhancing integrity verification. To ensure audit quality, auditors must adapt to new responsibilities and stay up-to-date with emerging trends. Collaboration among stakeholders and continuous education and training programs are key to driving the successful adoption of blockchain technology

Disney is a leading global cross-media entertainment giant. With its diversified business model, Disney has achieved significant success in film production, television programs, theme park and resort operations, product sales, and media networks. Disney not only has strong capabilities in content creation but also excels in distribution channels and platform construction. By continuously expanding its direct streaming services to consumers, such as Disney+, Disney is adapting to the changes in the digital age and further consolidating its leadership position in the global entertainment market. Nevertheless, Disney still faces many challenges, including rising copyright costs, threats from emerging competitors, the impact of global political and economic uncertainty, and addressing the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, an analysis of Disney's financial position considering these internal and external factors will help assess the company's intrinsic value and its future position. Based on the above background, this thesis aims to provide in-depth insights into the current financial situation and future development prospects of Disney Company through detailed financial analysis

To evaluate 3M's intrinsic value and compare the calculated results with the stock market price as of 31 December 2022. To study 3M's future operating strategies and the internal and external factors that may impact the Company's operations

This study aims to investigate the difficulties and challenges faced by sports agents in the development of Macao, as well as the feasibility of the emergence of this industry in Macao. Since there is a lack of research on sports agents and related sectors in Macao, this study analyses the current environment of Macao's sports industry and tries to explore the development of sports tourism projects in Macao as an industrial upgrading and transformation and to promote the emergence of sports agents as a breakthrough, which will help Macao find a better way of development to become a world center of tourism and leisure, in the context of the diversification of the ""1+4"" industries. This study also aims to contribute to developing sports tourism in Macao. This study also provides modest suggestions for the professionalization of sports and the commercialization of the sports market in Macao, as well as for the future personal development of Macao's athletes and the sustainable development of the sports industry. This study adopts a qualitative research approach, starting with a basic introduction to sports agents, the origin and development of sports agents, and the definition of the concepts, and then further insights into the current development status, constraints, and future outlook of sports agents in Macao through industry experiences. The study sought out ten local sports industry practitioners in Macao for in-depth interviews. By analyzing and summarising the data, the study proposes meaningful recommendations for the sustainable development of the sports agent industry in Macao. Overall, the study found that the development of sports agents in Macao is still early. With the improvement of the talent admission system in Macao, society will pay more attention to the development of the sports industry, and the profession of sports agent will be nurtured in the context of a developed sports environment. However, the lack of professional athletes and large-scale sports events in Macao and the lack of innovative thinking of the General Sports Association in cultivating sports talents will limit the emergence of sports agents to a certain extent

A world-class retailer, Walmart Inc. (WMT) operates in multiple formats, including physical and online stores. Walmart began operations in 1962 and currently owns 10,616 merchandise units around the world. Most of Walmart's revenue comes from the United States segment, 17% from the Walmart International segment, and 14% from the Sam's Club segment. Walmart offers many products, such as groceries, consumables, general merchandise, and health products. With its marketing strategy of low-cost products, Walmart has successfully navigated through economic prosperity and recessions in different periods. However, there is still intense competition in the retail industry, so we will analyze the company's internal factors across the economic climate and external factors and see how the company positioned itself to adapt to the trends in the industry to achieve the current intrinsic value. Three valuation models have been completed to determine Walmart’s intrinsic value. We will then compare that figure with WMT's stock price at the end of fiscal year 2022, which will benefit investors by providing valuable reference information

Chevron Corporation (CVX) is one of the world’s largest energy companies, which operates across the entire Oil and Gas industry, including exploration and production as an Upstream operation and refining and marketing as a Downstream operation. Chevron has a strong presence worldwide, with operations in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe, which includes more than 180 countries, where the US, in terms of production, represents 39.4% of the net oil-equivalent production in 2022. Its global presence, sustained by its competitive advantages, is challenged by its worldwide competitors, industry factors, and the economic environment. It is essential to understand the impact of such changes on the industry and the Company to accurately assess the intrinsic value of Chevron and its future positioning. To provide investors with helpful information, comparing the intrinsic value resulting from three valuation models with the Company's market share price as of December 31st, 2022, is essential

Industrial organization, theory of the firm and boundaries of the firm are well established fields of study involved in the size, structure and scope of a corporate entity (i.e. firm) to the market. However, a key characteristic of corporate entities is that economic concerns (costs and profit) is the overriding or dominant factor. This paper attempts to apply the above mentioned concepts to organizations such as public institutions where economic concerns are secondary considerations, to seek a more objective analysis on what the structure and scope of such organizations should be

This paper selects Noble Fitness Club in Zhongshan as a research object, adopting a qualitative method and conducting in-depth interviews with its members to determine what factors affect customers’ choice of a fitness club. This study is important because it enriches the theoretical guidance framework of the fitness market. Moreover, it helps partitioners from the fitness industry realize what factors directly impact customer satisfaction, providing recommendations for them to foster sustainable development. In-depth interviewing is the primary method for data collection. And, the thematic content analysis (TCA) approach is used to analyze the data derived from interview transcripts. Existing research identified eight factors affecting customers’ choice of a fitness club. However, the author discovered three additional factors that also significantly influenced their selection of a fitness club: geographical location, group courses, and fitness atmosphere. The fitness industry has an issue of product homogenization. Attracting more customers while retaining existing members is a challenge many fitness clubs face nowadays. Therefore, operators should avoid engaging in a price war, reducing the profit margin to attract more customers at the expense of sacrificing service quality. Instead, they should prioritize customers’ practical needs and make the best effort to meet their expectations

China’s economy has entered a critical period of structural adjustment. The developing green industries and the transforming traditional industries have increasing demand for finance, making ""green finance"" increasingly essential. While China's green finance is in the development stage, some newly developed zones serve as pilots for the launch of green financial products. An example is Tongzhou District of Beijing, which aims to expand Beijing’s space, promote the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and explore the optimal development mode of the densely populated economic areas. This thesis aims to study consumer acceptance of green financial technology (fintech) in the case of Tongzhou District. This thesis extended the commonly applied theoretical model for the problem of study, the Energy Augmented Technology Acceptance Model (EA-TAM), to analyze the impacts of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, intention, usage intention, environmental awareness, and green knowledge on the acceptance of green fintech in Tongzhou District. The survey collected 403 valid responses from people that had been active in Tongzhou District. The quantitative analysis is based on structural equation modeling techniques, including reliability analysis, validity analysis, standard method deviation test, and hypothesis testing. The analytical results show that all the hypothesized factors are significant. In addition, the sample is divided into different gender groups and education groups, so that the impacts of the socio-demographic characteristics can be explored. Males’ environmental awareness and green knowledge are insignificant in determining their acceptance of green fintech. The low-educated group’s acceptance of green fintech does not significantly depend on environmental awareness and perceived usefulness

This study identifies Portuguese residents’ behavioural intention towards Chinese electric vehicles from the perspective of the Country-of-Origin Effect (COE) and uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) as a guide to design interview questions. According to the existing literature, UTAUT-2, a comprehensive technology acceptance model, has not been used to assess the Portuguese electric vehicle market, and no relevant research has been found to apply the method of combining the COE into the UTAUT-2 framework. The purpose of this study is exploratory in nature, it uses qualitative methods to identify the behavioural intention of Portuguese residents towards the acceptance of Chinese electric vehicles. Data from 16 Portuguese residents was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with qualitative methodology. The study found that factors such as performance expectations, environmental concerns, effort expectations, hedonic motivation, and social influence have a positive impact on Portuguese residents' purchase of electric vehicles, while price value, habits, and convenience conditions have a neutral or negative impact. Regarding COE, apart from social influence, it has no impact on other factors. To increase the popularity and sales of Chinese electric vehicles in Portugal, it is recommended that advertising and marketing efforts focus on price, charging services, after-sales service, and design

Online shopping in Macau has developed rapidly in recent years. And the success of Taobao is significantly hard to not notice. Its’ sales are breaking the record every year. However, there are a lot of negative comments towards Taobao. Various researches and data have shown that live-streaming is one of the biggest contributions towards Taobao’s sales and record breaking. This research aims to investigate deeply to understand how Taobao counters those issues and the role of live-streaming in relation to it. Based on a review of the literature in the relevant areas , qualitative methodology is adopted after thorough considerations. A small sample size of 10 were selected to conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews and the participants agreed to respond to answer the original interview questions and the follow-up questions. Analysis of the responses demonstrated e-customer service is the most influential variable towards repurchase intention. Live-streaming strategy can effectively and directly reduce constomer’s uncertainty of products and increase the efficiency of responsiveness. And product uncertainty and responsiveness speed are variables that impact purchase intention. The result demonstrated live-streaming's effectiveness in combating multiple negative aspects of Taobao and strengthening the positive aspects. On this basis, live-streaming is an impactful method to combat Taobao. In addition, e-service in terms of sufficiency of the staff’s communication skill have been found important towards customer’s satisfaction. A gap related to such an issue has been recommended in the further research recommendations along with other factors or sample groups, which are needed to explore deeply in the future

This dissertation focused on the consumers’ consumption behavior in Macau flower retailers. It revealed what factors affect consumers’ choice of flower shops during purchase. Also, what contributes to the customers’ loyalty towards a flower retailer by having interviews with the female target groups aged between 20 to 50 who work in the office. This study is important to the flower business owner because the result can allow them to understand the thoughts and feelings of their consumer. By interviewing 11 heavy users of floral products with 16 questions based on the five consumption values, we can communicate with the consumers directly and learn the reasons behind their purchasing behavior. Questions have been divided into 5 consumption values according to the previous research by (Sheth, Newman, & Gros, 1991), including functional, conditional, social, emotional, and epistemic values. The research has collected data on how and at what level these values may affect consumer consumption choices individually. The finding part analyzed the reason why those values affect consumers’ choices. Most of the interviewees stated that service is the most important compared to quality because the owner should be enthusiastic to provide product information and understand the consumer very well to impress and retain them with good personal service

This study presents the intrinsic value of Moody’s Corporation, a leading credit rating agency in the U.S. The results of the valuation were compared to the market value of Moody’s Corporation of the same date. The aim of the research is to provide a perspective to the investors on whether the actual value of the Company was overvalued or undervalued in the market, and how much the volatility of the stock price by the change of some factors. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were applied in the research. The historical data, economic outlook, and the Company’s strategies were collected to be the metrics to determine the intrinsic value and provide an analysis of the prospects of Moody’s Corporation. Three valuation models were applied in the research to estimate the intrinsic value of the Company’s common stock. The cost of debt, cost of equity, the weighted average cost of capital, and the market risk premium were introduced and calculated in the research as they were the critical components in the valuation process. Since the valuation was based on assumptions and historical data to determine future growth, which indicates that the results could be changed due to uncertain factors. This study demonstrates that there was some discrepancy between the stock’s market price and the intrinsic value per share of Moody’s Corporation as of December 31, 2021

This study analyzed Tencent Holdings Limited’s internal and external factors and future strategies, forecasted the financial statements of the Company for the next ten years, and measured the intrinsic value of the Company on December 31, 2021 and compared it with the stock market price on the same date. The share price’s sensitivity analysis was also conducted to understand the Company's capital structure and profitability, and the sensitivity analysis can be used to reflect the impact of these factors and strategies on the future share price, which can have a high impact on investors' future investment decisions. This study also used the SWOT Analysis and Michael Porter's Five Forces Analysis to analyze the Company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and the Five Competitive Forces that shape the technology industry to evaluate the Company's external and internal environment and enrich the management with a more intuitive analysis leading to recommendations

Nowadays marketers and practitioners recognize the importance of social marketing as a strategy to acquire customers. Accordingly, the enterprises and brands are embracing the use of social network in communicating with potential consumers ad actual consumers, in order its performance so as to increase its sales. Among all those social media platforms, Instagram is one of the platforms which is image orientated and can easily connect with users and provide information with photos and images. As Macau is small‐sized city where there are abundant small to medium‐sized enterprises, the local small firms are switching their marketing strategies by utilizing the Instagram to promote their product online. In order to get a better grasp of how Instagram affects the promotion of the food and beverage product in Macau, the research question has been formulated: “To what extend can the local food sectors in Macau use Instagram as a marketing tool to engage purchasing intention and strengthen their brand equity? From the perspective of customers.” Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants who are the Instagram users, with diverse situations of engagement on Instagram. According to the interviews, participants expressed that how Instagram can associate effects with arousal and brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality and brand loyalty) and formation of purchase intention eventually through the Instagram marketing activities. The results showed that Instagram marketing activities strongly correlated the brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, and perceived quality while which in turn led to purchasing intention towards the brand. This research comprehensively illustrates the influences of Instagram marketing activities on customer‐based brand equity. The findings of this study will enable local food brands to more accurately forecast the future purchasing behaviors of their customers through Instagram marketing activities and provide a guide in managing brand equity as well

Due to the expansion of the Internet and advancements in technology, e-commerce has been frequently and widely used nowadays. The popularity of online shopping continues to develop and become increasingly common, yet, the concept of impulsive buying has consistently drawn significant attention over the years. In order to fit into the current shopping trend, recognizing the needs and wants of online shoppers as well as providing appropriate approaches are essential tasks for companies to achieve. The question of how to attract consumers to make purchases has been a concern for a long time, and in fact, it is necessary to explore consumers’ online purchase decisions in relation to their impulse buying behavior. In accordance with current academic knowledge, the main objective of this study is to investigate factors that influence consumers' online impulsive buying behavior based on external stimuli (such as sales promotions and websites characteristics) and the elements of marketing mix strategy (product, price, place, and promotion). According to the analysis, the promotion strategy has been identified as the most significant influence on consumers’ decision to make an online impulsive purchase. Therefore, the findings from this study are beneficial for companies and marketers to build a framework in order to develop suitable and effective strategies in order to encourage and stimulate consumers' desire for purchases. Furthermore, the research applies the qualitative methodology by conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 consumers who have previously experienced an online impulse buying