Environmental pollution, especially air pollution, is an alarming issue for the public, which is extensively debated among academic scholars. During the winter heating season, “smog” has become somewhat a normal phenomenon to local residents’ livelihood in northern China. Based on the daily air pollution data of regional cities in China from 2014 to 2016, and using a regression discontinuity design (RDD), the study finds that winter heating makes the air quality worse in the northern part of China. With the start of the winter heating, it increases the Air Quality Index (AQI) by 10.4%, particulate matter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) by 9.77%, particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) by 17.25%, CO by 9.84%, NO₂ by 5.23%, and SO₂ by 17.1%. Furthermore, dynamic changes demonstrate that air quality has gradually improved due to a series of heating policy changes implemented by the central government in recent years. Specifically, from 2014 to 2016, major indicators measuring the air pollution decrease dramatically, such as AQI by 92.36%, PM10 by 91.24%, PM2.5 by 84.06%, CO by 70.97%, NO₂ by 52.76%, and SO₂ by 17.15%.

With the emergence of social commerce, customer engagement is increasingly considered as an important influencing factor for enterprises to maintain a competitive advantage. Despite the extensive literature examining the determinants of customer engagement in social commerce from the perspectives of platform functions and technical dimensions, discussions on social interaction remain rare. Based on a sample dataset of 460 valid questionnaires collected via an online survey within China, using the structural equation model, this study attempts to investigate the effect of social interaction on customer engagement. Specifically, it divides social interaction into two dimensions, namely information-oriented and relation-oriented interactions. It is found that both informational and relational interactions are essential for driving customer engagement. Social presence and customer trust sequentially mediate the effect of social interaction to enhance customer engagement. In other words, social interaction enhances the sense of social presence, which in turn heightens customer trust, ultimately spurring a greater customer engagement. Self-construal moderates the relationship between social interaction and customer engagement. For interdependent customers, the effect of social interaction on customer trust is particularly significant. This study provides novel insights into how and when social interaction shapes customer engagement, highlighting the mechanisms and boundary conditions involved in this relationship within a social commerce context, which can also offer practical guidance for platforms and merchants seeking to facilitate greater engagement among customers.

Customer engagement behavior is a key factor in promoting the sustainable growth of virtual brand communities. Despite the extensive research on the antecedents of customer engagement behaviors, the influence of intercustomer social support remains a neglected area in the context of virtual brand communities. Based on a total of 293 valid questionnaires collected via an online survey, a structural equation model and hierarchical regression analysis are used to examine the effects of intercustomer social support (informational/emotional support) on customer engagement behaviors (customer-oriented/community-oriented engagement behaviors) in virtual brand communities, as well as consider the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating role of interdependent self-construal in the above relationships. The empirical finding shows that informational/emotional support significantly affects customer-oriented and community-oriented engagement behaviors. Self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between informational/emotional support and customer-oriented/community-oriented engagement behaviors. Interdependent self-construal positively moderates the relationship between informational/emotional support and customer-oriented engagement behaviors and positively moderates the relationship between informational support and community-oriented engagement behaviors. This article provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between intercustomer social support and customer engagement behaviors in the context of virtual brand communities, and improves the existing customer engagement behaviors management practices that are beneficial for the companies.

The proper allocation of corporate capital is critical to sustainable business development, and misallocation of resources can impede sustainable economic growth and competitive markets. This study investigates the relationship between market power and capital misallocation in Chinese A-share listed companies, with a novel focus on the mediating role of total factor productivity (TFP). Using a comprehensive dataset of 20,818 firm-year observations from 2009 to 2021, we employ linear regression analysis to elucidate the mechanisms through which market power influences capital allocation efficiency. The results reveal a significant positive correlation between market power and capital misallocation, with TFP partially mediating this relationship. Specifically, a one-unit increase in the market power index is associated with a 1.106 unit decrease in TFP, and a 0.028 unit increase in the capital misallocation, indicating potential threats to long-term sustainability. This effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, firms located in eastern regions, and those without shareholdings in financial institutions. These results contribute to the literature on market structure and resource allocation by providing empirical evidence of the detrimental effects of market power on capital allocation efficiency, operating through the channel of reduced productivity. Our findings have important implications for policymakers and firm managers, suggesting the need for targeted antitrust measures, promotion of market competition, and strategies to enhance TFP. This research advances our understanding of the complex interplay between market power, productivity, and capital allocation in emerging economies, offering valuable insights for addressing market failures, improving allocative efficiency and actively promoting sustainable business and sustainable socio-economic development in the Chinese context.