Frontiers in Management Science

Research on Digital Operation Mechanism of Brand Marketing Under Public‑Private Domain Linkage

2026-10-13T09:37:27+00:00

The iteration of digital media has reconstructed the logic of marketing traffic. The customer acquisition cost in the public domain keeps rising, while the value of private‑domain assets is increasing. The two‑way linkage between public and private domains has become a critical path for brands’ digital transformation. Nevertheless, most enterprises only realize one‑way traffic diversion from the public domain to the private domain without building a complete closed‑loop system. Existing studies mostly focus on single channels and lack systematic quantitative analysis of linkage transmission mechanisms, boundary conditions and implementation paths (Naik P A & Peters K., 2009). Based on resource dependence theory, value co‑creation theory and closed‑loop system theory, this paper adopts grounded theory, PLS‑SEM and fsQCA methods and conducts empirical research with 287 consumer‑service brands as samples. The results show that the five dimensions of public‑private domain linkage positively improve marketing performance; user perceived value‑brand identification plays a chain‑mediating role; technological, organizational and competitive environments exert moderating effects. There exist three equivalent configurations for high‑performance outcomes: diversion‑oriented, technology‑empowered and private‑domain‑deep‑cultivation. This study clarifies the closed‑loop linkage mechanism and provides theoretical and practical references for enterprises’ marketing resource allocation.

Translating Sustainability into Practice: A Qualitative Study of Managerial Perspectives on ESG Implementation at Unilever

2026-10-15T07:09:29+00:00

This qualitative study examines the managerial perspectives on the implementation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks within Unilever, with a particular emphasis on the Ugandan operational context. The primary objective was to investigate the strategies, challenges, and operational impacts of translating global sustainability mandates into local practice. Guided by Stakeholder Theory, the study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 key managers and supplemented by documentary analysis of sustainability reports. The findings suggest that while Unilever has robust top-down strategies, implementation encounters substantial impediments including supply chain complexity, infrastructural deficits in Uganda, and cost-benefit misalignment. The study posits that successful ESG translation may necessitate contextual adaptation rather than mere replication of global models. Consequently, this study suggests that multinational corporations (MNCs) fortify local stakeholder engagement, promote the development of supportive regulatory frameworks, and thereby bridge the extant implementation gap.

Post-Training Follow-Up and Employee Training Transfer: Problems and Improvement Strategies

2026-10-16T10:16:25+00:00

Post-training follow-up is an important part of employee development, but many organizations still treat training as completed when the formal training session ends. This weakens the connection between learning and actual work performance. Employees may understand new knowledge during training but fail to apply it because follow-up activities are limited, work tasks do not provide suitable opportunities, supervisors provide little support, or training results are not reviewed after employees return to work. The weak connection between post-training follow-up and training transfer reduces the practical value of employee training and may also lead to repeated investment in ineffective programs. This paper examines the relationship between post-training follow-up and training transfer, focusing on the common problems that prevent employees from applying what they have learned. It discusses the separation of training and follow-up, unclear follow-up responsibilities, insufficient workplace support, weak feedback mechanisms, and excessive reliance on formal assessment. Based on these problems, the paper proposes improvements in follow-up planning, supervisor involvement, workplace application, feedback, and evaluation. The discussion suggests that post-training follow-up should not be treated as an additional administrative activity. It should become a continuous process connecting training content, employee work tasks, supervisor support, and performance improvement.

Problems and Improvement Strategies in Working Time Management for Food Delivery Platform Riders

2026-10-16T10:18:29+00:00

Working time management is an important part of food delivery platform operations. Digital platforms organize riders’ work through order allocation, delivery time estimation, route planning, and performance evaluation. These methods improve delivery efficiency but also create problems in working time recognition, workload control, rest arrangements, and management responsibility. Riders often spend time waiting for orders, handling restaurant delays, and remaining available for assignments, yet these activities may not be adequately reflected in working time records. Strict delivery deadlines and income incentives can also increase work intensity and encourage extended working hours. This paper examines the characteristics of riders’ working time and identifies the main problems in platform management. It analyzes the organizational factors contributing to these problems and their effects on riders and platform operations. Improvements are proposed in working time classification, delivery scheduling, rest management, performance evaluation, and responsibility allocation. Effective working time management should recognize actual working conditions, establish reasonable delivery requirements, and provide riders with greater opportunities to communicate with platform managers. These measures can help reduce excessive work pressure, improve operational coordination, and support sustainable platform management.

Research on the Implementation Mechanism of Live‑Streaming E‑Commerce and Social Media Content Marketing for DTC Brands — From the Perspective of Media Affordances and Multi‑Stage Conversion Chain

2026-10-21T04:15:44+00:00

Existing research on DTC marketing mostly decouples the marketing functions of social media and live‑streaming e‑commerce. Prior literature focuses on short‑term transaction conversion yet ignores the stage‑asymmetric effects of media affordances across consumers’ full‑link journey, and thus cannot explain the industry pain point of “soaring live‑stream GMV alongside low repurchase and brand loyalty” among cross‑border health consumer goods. Combining media affordance theory and parasocial interaction theory, this paper constructs a multi‑stage conversion analytical framework and establishes a four‑stage user conversion chain. Empirical analysis is conducted based on multi‑source data including social‑media texts, live‑streaming datasets, consumer questionnaires and enterprise operational panel data. The results show that pre‑live‑stream social‑media priming significantly improves users’ brand awareness; social media and live‑streaming present a temporal complementary relationship, which effectively boosts user retention and repurchase without inhibiting short‑term GMV. This study verifies the validity of the chained‑mediation mechanism, identifies three high‑user‑value realization configurations (Treem, J. W., & Leonardi, P. M., 2016), and clarifies the dual‑media synergy mechanism and its implementation boundaries. It provides a quantitative reference paradigm for marketing practices of cross‑border health DTC brands.