Volume 218

Against the backdrop of surging domestic service demand in Beijing and stratified consumption among middle-aged and young groups, this study identifies a core paradox: improved economic status has not translated into greater willingness to adopt such services, rooted in the combined issues of insufficient service cognition and industry trust deficits. Empirical analysis of 6,100 valid questionnaires reveals structural industry pain points: 62.3% of users refuse contract renewals due to uncontrollable service quality; formal contract rates stand below 60%; and only 42% of practitioners hold certifications, all indicating inadequate standardization. Regression analyses confirm that service quality value, training and certification standards, and effective platform feedback significantly positively influence perceived value. Notably, perceived value shows no significant correlation with satisfaction, suggesting interference from unobserved variables. Theoretically, this study transcends behavioral economics by constructing a "cognition-emotion-behavior" tripartite mediating model integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and social exchange theory. Practically, it proposes an AI-driven dynamic matching system for stratified markets, blockchain-based certification to enhance regulatory transparency, and a dual-track qualification scheme, providing data support for Beijing’s policies on high-quality domestic service development.

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This article examines the impact of content marketing on consumer behavior within short-form video platforms (SFVPs) in the digital era and explores how content creators can enhance their competitiveness. It analyzes the current marketing landscape of mainstream SFVPs (e.g., Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu), highlighting their differentiated characteristics in user profiling, content ecosystems, distribution logic, and commercialization pathways. It also details platform-specific formal features such as content fragmentation, vertical screen format, strong visual impact, and high interactivity. Concurrently, the study identifies challenges including content homogenization, supply oversaturation, and singular monetization models, alongside opportunities presented by AI and VR technologies. Factors influencing consumer behavior encompass content quality, content creator influence, and platform interactivity. Based on insights into consumer behavior, strategic recommendations include enhancing content creation quality, precisely targeting audiences, and strengthening collaboration with creators and users.

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The innovative development of nighttime economies is becoming a key driver of urban cultural consumption. As a major industrial city in Northeast China, Shenyang faces challenges in its night market development, including indistinct cultural identity, homogeneous business formats, and superficial visitor experiences, which hinder its transition into a youth-oriented, digitally-savvy city brand. This study explores pathways to establish Shenyang as an internet-famous destination by integrating district-based night markets with cultural and creative initiatives. Through case analysis and consumer behavior research, it proposes the creation of an “Industrial Elf” IP system to enhance urban cultural memory through differentiated thematic designs. The study innovatively designs a cross district consumption linkage mechanism, combined with viral marketing strategies, to form a cohesive night market cluster model. Key findings include: (1) A dual phase implementation approach balancing short term pilot projects with long term cultural authenticity preservation; (2) Gamification techniques that effectively encourage inter district visitor flow and spontaneous consumption; and (3) Leveraging user generated content for cost efficient, high impact promotion. These outcomes provide actionable solutions for Shenyang’s cultural tourism challenges while offering valuable insights for similar industrial cities undergoing brand transformation.

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Social media advertising and social anxiety have become increasingly popular concepts in recent years. A growing body of research focuses on these topics, trying to apply them to business practices by adjusting marketing strategies to alter consumers’ behaviors. Using a literature review and a few ideas, the study determines how social media advertising and social anxiety affect consumers' intentions to buy and their brand loyalty. This research highlights how advertising features, such as live streaming and influencer content, and psychological factors, like social anxiety, shape consumer behaviors. The study finds that social media advertising boosts consumer purchase intention and brand loyalty by enhancing trust, emotional interaction, and perceived value. However, social anxiety reduces trust and reliance on simple and stored rules, which will weaken the advertising effect. The research concludes that interactive advertising can build strong consumer relationships, and marketers must consider psychological traits like anxiety and emphasize fairness and ethical values to sustain loyalty in the digital age.

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This study investigates the impact of shopping malls on the price of residential housing in the neighborhood, focusing on how the distance of shopping malls to residential housing affects the price of housing. This study uses statistical regression analysis via STATA 17 data from six selected urban districts and finds that housing prices of neighborhoods with higher accessibility to shopping malls and convenience stores improve significantly. The findings reveal that proximity to shopping centers significantly increases housing values, with homes closer to these centers becoming more expensive, primarily due to increased accessibility and improved amenities. It was also established that the quality of school districts has a significant effect on House prices, especially in high-demand income areas. Subsequently, neighborhoods in top-ranked districts possess higher prices because of the value that families attribute to educational assets. Further studies should generalize the research area, use wider sets of control variables, and make use of long-run models to reflect the dynamic tendencies of housing price changes.

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As people’s awareness of the importance of sustainability grows, ESG investing becomes an integral part of investment management and generates appreciable returns. In order to study the performance of ESG portfolio, this article picks 81 companies from MSCI ESG USA Leaders Index that listed on NASDAQ to form the stock universe based on the data from 2015 to 2025. ESG scores data are also included to indicate and control the ESG level. Portfolios at different ESG levels are established using Generalized Reduced Gradient Method as the optimizer. Taking the optimal portfolio derived from Index Model and NASDAQ-100 Index as benchmarks helps intuitively understanding the benefit and defect of ESG investing. The research runs static analysis over the whole time horizon and dynamic analysis in each year. The empirical result shows that ESG portfolios have absolute advantages over the market index and not too bad performance compared to the optimal portfolio. It is also found that ESG investing may have some effect on uncertainty removal and return smoothing, which does not monotonically change with the ESG level. The research offers supportive reason why investors should incorporate ESG factors in investment.

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Despite the high popularity of tourism in Chengdu, there is a core issue of insufficient depth in tourists' experiences. The study taking the Mengzhuibay community as an example reveals that although it has successfully attracted a large number of visitors, its tourism experience faces several major challenges: short stay time, activities mostly limited to taking photos at popular spots, and a superficial experience; the essence of the local "vibrant" culture is distorted by social media tags; and the lack of digital technology leads to a scarcity of immersive experiences. Moreover, excessive commercialization has impacted traditional businesses and weakened residents' sense of belonging, while the absence of a systematic feedback mechanism hinders optimization. These problems not only limit tourists' deep understanding and emotional connection with the local culture but also restrict their deep recognition of Chengdu's diverse brand goals such as "Park City" and "World Sports City". To enhance Chengdu's brand recognition, the study suggests that relevant departments should deepen local cultural narratives, integrate intangible cultural heritage experiences to guide in-depth immersion, strengthen the application of digital technology, develop immersive interactive platforms, promote resident co-creation, and ensure cultural authenticity and community vitality. Ultimately, by enhancing the authenticity and depth of community tourism, the imbalance between "popularity and depth" can be resolved, supporting Chengdu in achieving an upgrade of its city brand centered on cultural identity.

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Against the backdrop of cultural and tourism integration, destination brand image construction and communication are confronted with multifaceted challenges including indistinct brand identity, homogenized content dissemination, inadequate cultural connotation exploration, and fragmented communication channels. This study focuses on destination brand image as its core research subject, with particular emphasis on examining brand shaping and communication strategies within the prevailing development trend of cultural-tourism convergence. The research employed a dual-method approach: firstly, a literature review methodology was adopted to establish the theoretical foundation by systematically analyzing domestic and international publications pertaining to cultural-tourism integration, brand image construction, and communication. Secondly, a case study approach was implemented, examining practical applications through multiple exemplary domestic tourism destinations to conduct in-depth analyses of their brand image development and dissemination practices. The study identifies four root causes: ambiguous cultural positioning, misinterpretation of tourist demands, unidirectional communication models, and insufficient comprehension of cultural-tourism integration's essence. To enhance brand competitiveness, the research proposes five strategic measures: deepening cultural positioning by excavating regional uniqueness, innovating communication content and channels, balancing technological applications with cultural authenticity, establishing cross-departmental collaboration mechanisms, and ultimately elevating brand image from resource presentation to value resonance.

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This paper investigates the structure, challenges, and optimization strategies of gig employment in China’s rapidly expanding platform economy. As digital platforms like Meituan, Didi, and Ele.me continue to reshape labor relations, millions of workers engage in task-based, algorithm-mediated work arrangements without formal employment protections. Using a mixed-methods approach—combining statistical modeling, algorithmic system analysis, and empirical case studies—we identify three primary issues: high income volatility, opaque and biased algorithmic dispatch systems, and a widespread absence of social protections such as insurance, paid leave, or representation. To address these concerns, a set of integrated solutions is proposed, including transparent and auditable dispatch algorithms, fairness-aware machine learning frameworks, portable benefits schemes, and government-enforced minimum income standards. Analytical tools such as multivariate regression, Markov chain simulations, and fairness metrics (e.g., demographic parity) are employed to model and evaluate interventions. Ultimately, this study advocates for a multi-level, data-driven approach that combines mathematical optimization with regulatory reform to protect gig workers’ rights, enhance economic resilience, and promote the long-term sustainability of platform ecosystems.

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This study takes the role of fan economy in shaping the urban cultural and creative industry and urban brand building as its core, and focuses on the practical experience of Seoul. Combining the business model of fan economy with the cultural and creative industry, this paper explores its role and influence in enhancing the brand image of Seoul City. By focusing on the case analysis of the idol fan meeting in Seoul, the aim is to reveal the potential and innovative means of the fan economy in promoting the cultural soft power of the city. Secondly, analyze the marketing model that combines pop-up stores with celebrity IPs. Through the positioning of different customer groups, the methods to achieve profitability should be analyzed. Meanwhile, it explored the positive empowerment and development assistance that the fan communities of celebrities as city brand ambassadors can bring to the city. Overall, the research findings and conclusions of the study provide theoretical support and practical reference for optimizing the development strategies of urban cultural industries and shaping the unique brand image of cities. Analyzing the methods and steps involved has certain innovative significance and can also offer references for the brand building of other cultural cities.

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