Frontiers in Management Science

The Moderating Role of Culture in the Relationship Between Financial Inclusion and Financial Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Manyu Division, Cameroon

2025-12-05T02:06:30+00:00

This study investigates the moderating role of local culture in the relationship between financial inclusion and the financial performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Manyu Division, Cameroon. A survey was conducted on a sample of 330 SMEs in Manyu Division, Cameroon. Questionnaires were used to collect data, which were then analyzed using the SEM-PLS technique. The research findings show that, although financial services do not have a statistically significant effect, other results indicate a beneficial effect on financial performance. Additionally, local culture was found to strengthen this relationship. With the moderation of local culture, the path coefficient value is 0.319, and the significance value is 0.010. culture strengthens the interaction between financial service quality and the financial performance of SMEs in Manyu Division, with a significant value of 0.048, which is less than 0.05. Therefore, the test result shows that the nature of culture moderation is quasi-moderation, as both the direct effect coefficient (0.048) and the moderation effect coefficient (0.010) are less than 0.05. The study supports the Resource-Based Theory as a theoretical contribution, making it relevant in reducing barriers to the growth of SMEs. The relevance of this article lies in providing new insights from the perspective of users, namely SMEs, whose numbers are still relatively small, particularly in terms of utilizing unique local genius values to enhance the interaction between financial inclusion and SMEs’ financial performance. The study’s insights contribute to the financial inclusion literature by highlighting the critical role of culture in shaping the financial performance outcomes of SMEs. The findings have implications for policy makers, financial institutions, and SMEs seeking to enhance financial performance through inclusive financial services tailored to cultural context.

Constructing a Closed-Loop Model of “Online Social Fission–Offline Transaction” for Small and Medium Retail Enterprises

2025-12-05T02:13:17+00:00

In the face of the dual challenges of rising customer acquisition costs for small and medium retail enterprises globally (508 RMB per person in China and approximately 480 USD per person in the United States) and a social fission conversion rate of less than 5%, this study focuses on the proposition of “zero-cost content-driven growth” and constructs and empirically tests a five-step closed-loop model of “online social fission–offline transaction.” A framework integrating “AR visual content stimulation (S) –lightweight situational inducement (O) –private domain retention and transmission (R)” is proposed. Based on a 94-day longitudinal tracking of 30 multi-category stores in three Chinese cities (Wuhan, Xiangyang, and Lhasa), including 9 jewelry stores, 12 clothing stores, and 9 cosmetics stores, 423,000 micro-behavioral data points were collected (comprising 28,000 AR shares, 336,000 exposures, and 41,500 clicks). Structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS 4.0 and segmented regression analysis using Stata 17 were conducted. The results show that: (1) Zero-cost AR sharing has a significant positive correlation with the conversion rate of “exposure–click” (β=0.011, p<0.001, R2=0.34), with a 1.1% increase in conversion for every additional 100 shares, maintaining stable gains even when marginal costs are zero; (2) The cost of in-store gifts has an inverse U-shaped relationship with the conversion rate of “click–transaction” (inflection point at 41.2 RMB, 95% CI [38.7,43.5]), with the conversion rate peaking at 18.7% in the 35-45 RMB range (dropping to 11.2% below 30 RMB and to 13.9% above 50 RMB); (3) The intensity of private domain operations has a partial mediating effect on the “transaction – repurchase – re-fission” path (indirect effect = 0.39, Boot SE = 0.04, 95% CI [0.31,0.48]), accounting for 42% of the total effect; (4) Cross-regional robustness tests show that the customer acquisition costs for the experimental groups in Wuhan, Xiangyang, and Lhasa are 167 RMB per person, 172 RMB per person, and 168 RMB per person, respectively, a 66.5% average reduction compared to the control group (503 RMB per person), with ROI remaining stable at 1:15.2 to 1:15.7 (ANOVA, F=1.23, p=0.29). This study not only provides small and medium retail enterprises with a lightweight growth solution under a budget of “≤50 RMB per customer” but also expands the theoretical boundaries of the SOR framework in the context of “zero-cost visual content stimulation,” offering empirical evidence for cross-cultural retail digitalization research in China. (Sung, E. C., 2021)

Empirical Evidence on the Construction and Efficiency Improvement of Medical Device Smart Supply Chain Based on Closed-Loop Operation Mode

2025-12-05T02:17:18+00:00

In the context of stringent regulatory oversight and highly volatile demand, medical device supply chains (MDSCs) have long been plagued by high costs, high inventory levels, and slow response times. This paper integrates the closed-loop operation concept with a digital technology stack to construct a “three-end five-flow” closed-loop smart supply chain (CPSC) architecture. Based on 128 quarterly observations from 2021 to 2024 and over 100,000 UDI-level micro-data points, a mixed-method approach is employed to examine the efficiency improvement effects.

The Impact of Cross-Border Data Flow Regulatory Policies on Digital Firms: Compliance Cost Estimation and Business Model Adjustment Recommendations

2025-12-05T02:19:50+00:00

In the context of an annual growth rate of 28% in cross-border data flows and a fragmentation index of regulatory policies soaring to 0.71, digital firms are increasingly viewing compliance as a calculable strategic variable. This paper integrates regulatory capture and cost-benefit theories to construct a mixed dataset covering 1,174 policy texts, 215 listed firms, and 187 penalty cases across 12 countries from 2019 to 2023. Utilizing a text mining — machine learning — synthetic control method (SCM-DiD) framework, we conduct an integrated test of “policy — cost — behavior.” The findings reveal that the relationship between regulatory intensity and corporate lobbying expenditure follows an inverted U-shape, with the inflection point at 1.2% of revenue. Net compliance benefits peak at 2.5% of revenue, and exceeding 3.8% leads to a “compliance trap.” GDPR-style command-and-control policies result in a persistent 2.1 percentage point higher compliance cost for the treated group over three years, with an additional 58% amplification for firms handling highly sensitive data. Federated learning technology can recoup a $1.5 million investment within 2.3 years and reduce compliance intensity by 40%. Based on these quantified inflection points, we propose a three-dimensional decision matrix for firms: “lobbying ≤ 1.2% + budget 2.0-2.5% + technology substitution.” For regulators, we suggest a combination of “command-and-control + market incentives.” This study is the first to provide a compliance investment threshold that can be directly embedded in ROI, assisting digital firms in achieving predictable risks and arbitrageable costs in the era of fragmented regulation.

Case Analysis of Digital Transformation in Brand Marketing for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

2025-12-05T02:22:36+00:00

To address the challenges of low success rate, difficulty in implementation, and poor effectiveness in the digital transformation of brand marketing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this study employs a multi-case comparison method and in-depth interviews. It examines eight typical enterprises across three major civilian industries—fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), catering, and retail—five of which have successfully transformed, while three have encountered obstacles. The research reveals that the core of SMEs’ transformation lies in “lightweight adaptation”—there is no need to pursue a full-chain system; instead, tool combinations should be selected based on “pain point resolution” (with a single tool’s annual investment of no more than 50,000 yuan). Successful transformation requires three key elements: precise pain point positioning, appropriate tool selection, and closed-loop data monitoring. Significant differences are observed across industries: the FMCG industry focuses on precise customer targeting and membership operations, the catering industry emphasizes public sentiment response and in-store conversion, and the retail industry breaks through inventory optimization and private domain repurchase. The “three-stage, nine-step” universal framework and industry-specific strategies proposed in this study provide a replicable transformation path for SMEs with limited budgets and no dedicated IT teams, filling the gap in empirical research on lightweight transformation.

Digital Transformation of Financial Leasing Companies: A Study on Data Platform Construction and Business Empowerment

2025-12-05T02:25:50+00:00

Driven by the dual engines of “financing + leasing,” the financial leasing industry has long suffered from lengthy approval processes, coarse post-leasing monitoring, and superficial customer value mining. Its digital penetration rate significantly lags behind that of banks and insurance companies. This paper takes the 5-Dimensional Integrated Data Platform (5-DDMP) launched by Huaxia Financial Leasing in 2019 and fully operational by 2023 as the experimental scenario. It integrates multi-source panel data from 832 projects, 526 post-leasing contracts, and 317 customers. Utilizing the difference-in-differences (DID) method and Bootstrap mediation testing, the paper systematically evaluates the net effects of the data platform on efficiency, risk, and value metrics, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The findings indicate that the platform launch reduced the approval cycle by 50.7%, decreased the overdue rent rate by 65.6%, and increased cross-selling revenue by 23.3%. Data integration contributed a mediation effect of 58.3%. Heterogeneity analysis shows that large-scale projects and the sub-sample of distant-water fisheries benefited more. A benchmarking with GE Capital reveals that Huaxia leads in leasing asset IoT coverage (92% vs. 78%) but lags in cross-border data collaboration (65% vs. 90%). This paper is the first to quantify the causal chain of “technology investment - data integration - business performance,” providing a replicable and promotable architectural framework and quantitative benchmarks for the industry. It offers insights for promoting green leasing and cross-border leasing strategies and establishing unified data standards.

Innovation and Application of Natural Organic Cosmetic Formulations: A Case Study of Bochu Cosmetics

2025-12-05T02:29:17+00:00

Amidst the global clean beauty market’s annual growth rate of 11.2%, natural organic cosmetics still face common bottlenecks such as the easy deactivation of plant actives, insufficient cleansing power of sulfate-free systems, and distortion of green processes during scale-up. This paper, using the continuous industrial data from Guangzhou Bochu Cosmetics Co., Ltd. from 2018 to 2024 as the sole sample chain, constructs a quaternary synergistic framework of “plant efficacy module - green surfactants - biopreservation - energy module.” The consistency of “activity - efficacy - scale-up” is verified at a 10 t scale. Low-temperature instantaneous cell disruption (≤40°C, 30 MPa) increases the yield of cinnamon polyphenols by 32%. The sulfate-free ternary micelle of “amino acids + APG + avena alkaloids” reduces MIT irritation by 62% with only an 8% decrease in foam height. The synergistic biopreservation system challenges a bacterial total count of <10 CFU g⁻¹ over 28 days, and the microbial ecology remains balanced within 60 days after opening, as confirmed by 16S rRNA.

Project Management Approaches for Sustainable Rural Development in Cameroon

2025-12-09T09:23:47+00:00

Development focus has increasingly shifted toward rural areas due to the recognition that rural and urban areas are critically interdependent and that rural areas can no longer be neglected. In response, many development agencies have relied on projects as a primary mechanism for achieving sustainable rural development; however, many such projects fail to achieve their intended objectives. This article is based on an empirical study that explored the challenges of managing rural development projects through four case studies conducted in the Centre Region of Cameroon. A qualitative approach was adopted, using secondary data collected from purposively selected journal articles and research reports, with document review as the main data collection method and content analysis for data interpretation. The study finds that conventional stakeholder-participation models, failure to apply project management principles, and lack of project management skills significantly hinder the success of rural development projects. It also identifies alternative stakeholder-participation models and strategies that can enhance effective project management. The article recommends that development projects be managed by professional project managers to ensure value for investment, while non-professional project managers should receive training in essential project management skills, tools, and techniques.