From precious jade articles to monumental stone arches, Huizhou salt merchants in Jiangnan lived surrounded by objects in eighteenth-century China. How and why did these businessmen devote themselves to these items? What can we learn about eighteenth-century China by examining the relationship between merchants and objects? Luxurious Networks examines Huizhou salt merchants in the material world of High Qing China to reveal a dynamic interaction between people and objects. The Qianlong emperor purposely used objects to expand his influence in economic and cultural fields. Thanks to their broad networks, outstanding managerial skills, and abundant financial resources, these salt merchants were ideal agents for selecting and producing objects for imperial use. In contrast to the typical caricature of merchants as mimics of the literati, these wealthy businessmen became respected individuals who played a crucial role in the political, economic, social, and cultural world of eighteenth-century China. Their life experiences illustrate the dynamic relationship between the Manchu and Han, central and local, and humans and objects in Chinese history.

Conclusion. Cultured and Cosmopolitan Men (tongren): Objects, Merchants, and the Manchu Court in High Qing China -- Notes -- Character List -- Bibliography -- Index

An accessible illustrated introducton to the networks we use every day, from Facebook and Google to WiFi and the Internet What makes WiFi faster at home than at a coffee shop? How does Google order search results? Is it really true that everyone on Facebook is connected by six steps or less? The Power of Networks answers questions like these for the first time in a way that all of us can understand. Using simple language, analogies, stories, hundreds of illustrations, and no more math than simple addition and multiplication, Christopher Brinton and Mung Chiang provide a smart and accessible introduction to the handful of big ideas that drive the computer networks we use every day. The Power of Networks unifies these ideas through six fundamental principles of networking. These principles explain the difficulties in sharing network resources efficiently, how crowds can be wise or not so wise depending on the nature of their connections, why there are many layers in a network, and more. Along the way, the authors also talk with and share the special insights of renowned experts such as Google’s Eric Schmidt, former Verizon Wireless CEO Dennis Strigl, and “fathers of the Internet” Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn.

In recent times, the advent of new technologies, the concerns about sustainability, and the new tastes of the youngest generations of luxury consumers have affected the traditional dynamics of the luxury goods markets. These emerging issues have caused significant changes in the marketing of luxury goods. Sustainable development is not a new practice in the luxury market but is of increasing importance. The real challenge is for luxury companies to overcome the residual corporate social responsibility perspective to embrace a real integration of environmental, ethical, and social concerns into the corporate strategy. Integrated output and sustainable processes, the introduction of non-financial reporting as operational practice, and a new orientation to circular economy practices are emerging issues that still today request for a deeper exploration both on the academic and managerial point of view. Digitalization is another relevant issue that is reshaping the business model of luxury companies. Big data, blockchain, omnichannel experience, and digital customer experience represent the main digital challenges that luxury brand companies are facing nowadays. Luxury brands must keep up with these digital demands and sustainability concerns to maintain their position in the global market. Developing Successful Global Strategies for Marketing Luxury Brands upgrades the most relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical research about the marketing of luxury goods. This book is focused on contemporary issues affecting luxury industries such as digital transformation (blockchain, big data, analytics, innovation processes), sustainable development, changes in luxury consumers’ behavior, integration between physical and online channels, and the development of social media marketing strategies. Chapters will cover areas of marketing, management, buyer behavior, and international business, creating a multidisciplinary approach for this book. This book is ideal for scholars, local government agencies and public bodies, managers, luxury business owners, along with practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in emerging issues affecting the luxury market, such as sustainability and digital transformation.

An international bestseller, SUPERHUBS offers a startling new perspective on how the world's elite make the decisions that impact all our lives. A BLOOMBERG Best Book of the Year Winner, Silver Medal, Axiom Business Book Awards 2018 FOREWORD BY NOURIEL ROUBINI $UPERHUBS is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the world's most powerful titans, the "superhubs," pull the levers of our global financial system. Combining insider's knowledge with principles of network science, Sandra Navidi offers a startling new perspective on how superhubs build their powerful networks and how their decisions impact all our lives. $UPERHUBS reveals what happens at the exclusive, invitation-only platforms - The World Economic Forum in Davos, the meetings of the International Monetary Fund, think-tank gatherings and exclusive galas. This is the most vivid portrait to date of the global elite: the bank CEOs, fund managers, billionaire financiers and politicians who, through their interlocking relationships and collective influence are transforming our increasingly fragile financial system, economy and society.

Develop a winning customer experience in the digital world Luxury consumers are changing – they come from all over the world, they are young and they are digital natives. How can luxury brands that have built themselves as pure physical players adapt their business model and practices to address their expectations without abandoning their luxury DNA? Luxury Retail and Digital Management, 2nd Edition sets focus on the major retailing challenges and customer evolutions luxury brands are facing today: the digitalisation and the emergence of the millennials and Chinese luxury consumers. These major changes have been affecting the distribution and communication channels of luxury brands; they now have to think simultaneously physical stores and e-commerce, global marketing and digital marketing. • Defines all the tools that are necessary to manage luxury stores including analysis of location and design concept • Explores the selection, training and motivation of the staff • Covers everything executives, managers and retail staff need to know in order to enter, expand, understand and succeed in the world of luxury retail Written by luxury retail experts Michel Chevalier and Michel Gutsatz, who lend their solid academic credentials and professional expertise to the subject, Luxury Retail and Digital Management, 2nd Edition provides deep insight into the main challenges that luxury brands are facing in this digital age.

This book explores new approaches and strategies that luxury fashion brands could adopt in their operations toward sustainability goals. It addresses the unique challenges faced by luxury fashion brands, given that concepts of luxury and sustainability may be conflicting. In doing so, it elaborates on how fashion brands need to manage their suppliers to comply with and improve social and environmental conditions, the pressure to fulfill the triple-bottom lines, consumer demands for transparency, and social media and its advantages in achieving sustainability goals. Exploring the notion that luxury fashion brands are in a better position to pursue superior sustainability performance, it presents research that highlights how the consequences of non-compliance could have more devastating effects on luxury brands than on mass-market brands. The book is a valuable resource for academics and practitioners in the field of business, sustainability, and fashion.