Statistical portraits of American business elites: a review essay

Since the early twentieth century, scholars have conducted statistical studies of groups of business leaders. These have often been extensive undertakings, calling for the collection of large quantities of information about business executives through the use of surveys, personal interviews, dictionaries, obituaries and biographies. The scholars who have carried out these studies have come from a range of disciplines, including sociology, history and economics. The questions they have asked have varied over time. Some have sought to uncover common characteristics among the executives themselves. Others have studied groups of businessmen in order to learn about society (especially the extent of social mobility), or about particular industries and the people who ran them. While the variety of approaches has led some to conclude that these studies present no coherent picture, this article shows an underlying pattern in these efforts and suggests a framework for future study.     

Genetic Testing and the Demand for Cancer Insurance

There has been an expansion of the availability of disease-specific insurance policies in the United States over the past decade. At the same time, recently developed medical tests are providing consumers with new information regarding their risk of contracting particularly serious diseases. This exploratory study makes use of data from two groups of women to examine the demand for one type of disease-specific policy, cancer insurance. Members of the first group have been tested for a BRCA1 gene mutation that is associated with an 88% risk of contracting breast and/or ovarian cancer by age 70. The other group consists of women from the general population who have not been tested for any BRCA1 gene mutation.The study results indicate that women who have been tested for the BRCA1 gene mutation are more likely than untested respondents to have purchased cancer insurance and to have recently thought about purchasing cancer insurance. The results also indicate that older women and women who have modest household incomes are more likely to have purchased cancer insurance. Women who have minor children, who are more highly educated, who have no health insurance, who have had cancer, or who report that they are in poor health are more likely to have recently contemplated purchasing cancer insurance. Our discussion of the findings highlights several issues that merit further consideration on the part of consumer policy makers working in the area of insurance regulation.     

Strategic Assortment Decisions in Information-Intensive and Turbulent Environments

Recent trends in the environment have caused changes in consumers’ store patronage, price sensitivity, and need for variety. These changes have led retailers to reconsider some of their assortment options. Specifically, we discuss how they may have led some retailers to move from a single-format to a multiple-format channel portfolio, how they may have contributed to the growth of the discount format, and how they tend to influence the private-label portfolio of many retailers. We end by showing how these assortment changes may, in turn, have various welfare, logistical, and tactical implications.     

Multinational firms and the extractive sectors in the 21st century: Can they drive development?

Historically, extractive sector MNEs have been seen as an obstacle to sustainable development, because they operated in enclaves with limited local engagement. Import-substitution policies aimed to increase the local benefits of these resources, restricting FDI. Since liberalisation, extractive MNEs have re-engaged with developing countries through looser governance structures with greater potential for linkages. Despite the increased potential, few host countries have seen meaningful MNE-led development because of weak domestic firms and poor location advantages. New MNEs from emerging economies have also not shown a greater propensity to local linkages. Only countries that have continued to invest in location advantages have seen substantial benefits.     

Strategic Planning in the Law Firm: Managing Practice Areas

ABSTRACT

Successful organizations depend on good leadership. But today we need a new definition of leadership and a new approach to providing it.

In the past, the CEO (leader) was the person with all the answers. Today, if an organization is going to be successful we have to understand that no leader can have all the answers. Leaders have to have a vision and a strategic plan. But the actual solutions about how to meet the current challenges have to be made by employees (teams) closest to the action.

Today leaders have to empower their employees, to challenge them, give them resources, and then hold them accountable. If they struggle with this empowerment, the leader has to be there as a facilitator, teacher, and coach. Once employees truly believe the leaders have empowered them, and they own the problem, they will improve things very rapidly. Employees that are closest to the action are very creative and have a lot more ideas than the old style of leadership that handed down or directed employee participation and commitment!     

US Economic Sanctions Against China: Who Gets Hurt?

The United States maintains a broad spectrum of economic sanctions against China ranging from export controls to prohibitions on certain imports. Our study finds that, although from a macroeconomic perspective, US sanctions have had no significant adverse effect on China's overall economic growth and trade between the two countries, they do have a negative impact on producers and consumers in both countries. US economic sanctions have hindered technology transfer to China and US investment in China. US restrictions on imports from China have caused deadweight losses for the US due to higher domestic production costs for import substitutes and a reduction in consumption. US export controls have hindered US exports to China and contributed to large US trade deficits with China. The export controls have also caused losses of high‐paid jobs in the United States and benefited competitors from other countries. In addition, US economic sanctions against China have had significant third‐party effects. China's diversification of imports to sources other than the United States may have a long‐term effect on US exports to China even after US economic sanctions against China are lifted.     

Reasons for not volunteering: overcoming boundaries to attract volunteers

ABSTRACT

Research on volunteering has mainly focused on the explanatory demographics and functional motives to volunteer, but little is known about the reasons that people might have not to volunteer. However, these reasons need more academic attention, as they form the barriers that organizations have to overcome when attracting new volunteers. We examine a sample of 1248 respondents on whether they volunteer, are interested in volunteering, or have no interest to volunteer. We verify whether demographic differences exist between these groups. By means of an exploratory factor analysis, we analyze the reasons not to volunteer for those who have no interest to volunteer. This complements earlier research by focusing on the barriers that people might have, instead of the benefits of volunteering that have extensively been documented.     

Dual organizational identification impacting client satisfaction and word of mouth loyalty

This research applies social identity theory to the project manager-client relationship in the service sector to examine the impact of dual identification and client co-location on the satisfaction and word of mouth (loyalty) of the client. The research is conducted in the information technology industry with a sample of project manager-client dyadic relationships. The results show that project managers that have identification to their own organization and the client organization have significantly more loyal clients compared to project managers that do not have identification to their organization or the client organization. Project managers that only have client organization identification and not service organization identification have significantly more client loyalty compared to project managers that only have service organization identification. Further, the results show that being co-located with a client results in greater client satisfaction, but does not increase a project manager's identification to the client organization.     

Learning to Compete: Transforming Firms in the Face of Radical Environment Change

Over the last decade, Latin American economies and companies have witnessed substantial changes as their economies have been reformed and opened to world markets. Firms that have adapted to these changes may have useful lessons to offer to companies in other countries as they face economic transformation and expanding competition.     

Does Tenure Impact Upon the Principled Reasoning of Managers?

The relationship between tenure and principled reasoning is of vital importance to the fields of management and business ethics, as more tenured managers often hold influential posts and have the ability to affect the overall ethical tones of their organizations. Few researchers have studied this relationship, however, and those studies that have been conducted have produced mixed results. While some researchers have found that greater tenure is associated with higher levels of ethical reasoning, others have found the reverse to be true. The findings of this particular study of 270 current U.S. corporate managers, who responded to a nationwide survey, indicated that there is indeed a link between tenure and principled reasoning. More tenured managers demonstrated lower principled reasoning than their less tenured counterparts. As the number of years of tenure increased, principled reasoning scores declined. The results of this study, as well as a comparison to the results of previous studies that have been conducted, are discussed within this paper.     

A blueprint for green marketing

Companies have rushed to market environmentally acceptable products. But according to the author, many have ignored the planning considerations that should have preceded the development and promotion of these "green" products.     

Progress in pedestrian safety research

Abstract

This paper looks at the pedestrian safety issue and the research that has followed to understand and solve the problem of pedestrian safety in the last 120?years - since the time of the first reported pedestrian fatality in 1899. Researches have studied the epidemiology of pedestrian crashes, pedestrian behaviour, pedestrian movements and pedestrian flows. The suggested strategies to reduce pedestrian crashes have ranged from controlling vehicular speeds to controlling pedestrian behaviour. This study presents a summary of the progress we have made in understanding pedestrian crash patterns. Pedestrian behaviour observed in different regions of the world tend to have similarity in pedestrian behaviour: gap acceptance, preferences of route choice and location for crossing roads. High income countries(HIC) have reported reduction in pedestrian fatalities as compared to low and middle income countries(LMICs), however pedestrian trips have also reduced in these countries leading to concerns about the effectiveness of ‘known’ strategies. Speed control through active measures have been found to have themaximal benefit and education and training programs for altering pedestrian behaviour on the road the least benefits. Low and middle income countries face pedestrian exposure on high speed roads. New research efforts are required to address pedestrian safety in both HIC and LMICs.     

中美贸易摩擦转向升级与对策研究

在当前经济全球化的背景下,国家间的贸易摩擦成为国际经济交往中的一种普遍现象.近年来,随着中关双边贸易的迅速发展,中美贸易摩擦也频繁发生.尤其是最近,中关贸易摩擦出现了转向和升级的趋势,开始由反倾销措施更多地转向反补贴以及知识产权领域的纠纷.     

The Role of Mere Exposure Effect on Ethical Tolerance: a Two-Study Approach

This paper reports on the results from two studies that were conducted eight years apart with different respondents. The studies examined the role of the Mere Exposure Effect on ethical tolerance or acceptability of particular business decisions. The results from Study 1 show there is a significant difference in ethical judgment for 12 out of 16 vignettes between those who have been exposed to such situations compared to those who have not been exposed to them. In those 12 situations, those who have been exposed to such situations adopted a more tolerant stance toward the ethically questionable behavior. The results from Study 2 show there is a significant difference in ethical judgment for 9 out of 16 vignettes between those who have been exposed to such situations compared to those who have not been exposed to them. Again, in those nine situations, those who have been exposed to such situations adopted a more tolerant stance toward the ethically questionable behavior. Interestingly, the 9 situations in Study 2 were 9 of the 12 situations found to be significant in Study 1, and in the same direction, suggesting that we have found consistency in our findings and support for the Mere Exposure Effect. Implications are provided for both higher education and practitioners.     

Social media revolutions: The influence of secondary stakeholders

Traditionally, firms have tried to listen to primary stakeholders (e.g., customers, suppliers, creditors, employees) but have paid little attention to the concerns of secondary stakeholders (e.g., the general public, communities, activist groups). This is because primary stakeholders were perceived to have power, legitimacy, and urgency behind their requests, while secondary stakeholders had little or no leverage. With the coming of the Internet and social media this asymmetry of influence has changed. Today, secondary stakeholders have to be managed as adroitly as primary stakeholders. In this installment of Marketing & Technology, we show managers how social media and the Internet have amplified the influence of secondary stakeholders, and offer guidance on how to manage these groups effectively.     

Tobacco smoking's changing trajectory in Australia

This paper examines data from four Australian National Health Surveys and shows that decline in tobacco smoking prevalence experienced in Australia since World War II may not have continued as might have been inferred from the Lopez et al. model. The decline may have stabilized at approximately 20% of the adult population despite active anti-smoking campaigns. The data also suggest that changes in smoking status have not been consistent across all segments of the population despite all segments being exposed to the same fear-based campaign strategy. The data also suggests that while this health-scare approach may have coincided with improvements in the proportions of some groups of smokers who successfully quit the habit, an increase in the proportion of young females who have, at some stage, commenced to smoke has begun. If smoking prevalence is to be eradicated in Australia or other similar markets, campaigns must address cessation and prevention.     

Impact of Mobile Computing Terminals in Police Work

A major metropolitan police department in the Northeast recently began using mobile-computing terminals (MCTs). This research explores how MCTs have improved critical factors that affect the work environment of the officers in the department, particularly related to deterrence and job satisfaction. Amodel for investigation is developed and tested using a survey instrument administered to officers using the MCTs. We find that MCTs have enabled better communication among officers and have increased the availability of information, both of which are found to have a significant positive impact on the officers' job satisfaction. Savings in time from plate checks are found to have a significant impact on deterrence. However, though the availability of information from MCTs has a positive impact on deterrence, the relationship is not very significant.     

Exploring the locus of internal marketing

Service and business-to-business companies have remained at the forefront of studies into internal marketing due to close contact between employees and customers. Marketing academics and practitioners have shown particular interest in the supermarket sector over recent years due to fluctuations in performance that have been reported. Consumers have negligible switching costs, so the risk of them purchasing substitute products is a problem to marketers where there is insignificant product differentiation. There is little evidence to support the benefits of internal market orientation in the food retail industry, and the main reason is difficulty of measuring its value. Although the UK food retail industry has been extensively researched, researchers have yet to address it properly in regard to internal market orientation. There is now an opportunity to create sustainable competitive advantage by providing a variety of offerings.     

Elements of a Franchise: the Experiences of Established Firms

Only a small amount of research has been published which directly addresses the alternative operational methods which have been employed by British franchisors. Similarly, the experiences of well-established firms which have chosen to introduce franchising as a method of expansion have received little attention. In this study, representatives of 13 such firms were interviewed. Their responses have been used to illustrate how franchisors' decisions as regards franchisee selection, the establishment of outlets, the setting of fees, the length of franchise contract, and continuing support, differ according to circumstances.     

失独父母的社会支持体系现状及优化策略

基于社会支持理论,探讨失独父母的社会支持现状及其影响因素。2018年3-4月以多阶段分层整群抽样的方法,在我国西部某地级市抽取失独父母样本量108,分析失独父母的社会人口学特征、欧洲五维健康量表(EQ-5D)和社会支持评定量表(SSRS)等。失独父母的主观支持分、客观支持分、对支持的利用度和社会支持总分的中位得分低于国内常模及普通老年人的分数,线性回归分析结果显示,是否有第三代,是失独父母主观支持分、对支持的利用度和社会支持总分的影响因素;婚姻状况和月收入是失独父母客观支持分的影响因素。对失独父母须建立长期、固定的帮扶机制;政府应加大对患有大病、有第三代、退休金较少甚或没有的失独父母的经济帮扶力度;应夯实家庭医生重点签约对象的服务内容;须构建多种形式的特殊养老政策,引导失独父母自励互勉,构建多元化的社会支持体系,帮助失独群体早日融入社会。