The Organization of Innovation Brokers: An International Review

Research on networks of innovation has typically focused on relationships of competition and collaboration between firms in the network, sometimes extending the analysis to sources of new ideas such as universities. More recently, attention has been paid to the activities of intermediaries in such networks, which facilitate the innovation process, which are positioned between the sources and users of innovations. This paper focuses on the organization of a distinctive type of intermediary, which we have defined as an innovation broker, by providing an analysis of 10 case studies of organizations dedicated to innovation broking from around the world. Innovation brokers in our definition are organizations that are founded especially to undertake an intermediary role, rather than performing that role as a by-product of their principal activities. The results of this analysis suggest that the key role played by innovation brokers in the innovation process is the independent validation of new ideas, thereby facilitating diffusion. In order to carry out this task, innovation brokers are organized on a not-for-profit basis, typically as a public–private partnership. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for innovation theory and research in networks of innovation.     

Partnering with Parents: Suggestions for Food Marketers and Retailers in the Ongoing Childhood Obesity Debate

Few scholarly research studies and governmental reports have focused on parents' opinions regarding food and beverage marketing toward children and their thoughts as to what can be done to empower them in the childhood obesity debate. The current study represents a missing link in traditional childhood obesity research by identifying the possible contribution of food retailers in helping struggling parents with the issue at hand. Results of an online survey conducted among 282 parents of 6–11-year-olds reveal that parents are looking for partnerships between food marketers and retailers in future promotional endeavors.     

HOW HOUSEHOLD PORTFOLIOS EVOLVE AFTER RETIREMENT: THE EFFECT OF AGING AND HEALTH SHOCKS

We study how the portfolios of U.S. households evolve after retirement, using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). In particular, we investigate the influence of aging and health shocks on a household's ownership of various assets and on the share of total assets held in each asset class. We find that households decrease their ownership of principal residences, vehicles, financial assets, businesses, and real estate as they age, while increasing the share of assets held in liquid assets and time deposits. We find that widowhood and other health shocks are associated with the same kinds of portfolio changes, and that the effect of shocks strengthens with time since the shock. Finally, we show that the effect of a shock is greatly magnified when households have physical or mental impairments. This suggests that factors other than standard risk and return considerations weigh heavily in many older households' portfolio decisions.     

Fundraising,race, and discourse: The challenges and opportunities' of social construction

Fundraisers have turned their attention to minority communities as potential resources despite the fact that minority communities are both underserved by and underrepresented in nonprofit organizations. This paper argues that the current approach to minority fundraising, which uses broad racial categories, is limiting. Minority fundraising practice and research face three distinct challenges (racial categorization, socially constructed markets, and privilege) that can be addressed through a focus on language, specifically discourse analysis.     

用质量工具进行时间管理

·质量工具对改进个人生活是有用的 ·随机时间检查表、频数分析和高级运行图能帮助你理解你是如何利用和浪费时间的 ·同样的技术也能用于改进组织     

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Based on qualitative data this paper explores the resons for the non-profit housing sectors enthusiastic embrace of strategic planning practices. Evidence is presented on the use of specified techiniques by housing associations in Northeren Ireland and their impact on the performance of the assocaitions. Without dismissing rational goel seeking explanations for adoption, the study concludes the strategic planning is also a legimation seeking practice. Evidence suggest that the contested nature of performance in the non-profit sector makes it hard for chief executives to sustain a rational goal based argument for adopting strategic planing.     

Examining the Use of Nutrition Information on Restaurant Menus

Over the past decade, the world has been facing an obesity epidemic. In the popular press and certain governmental and public policy circles, this seems to be attributed to the marketing efforts of fast-food and chain restaurants. As a solution to this problem, many have proposed increasing the amount of nutrition information available to the public by adding nutrition information to restaurant menus and menu boards. However, some debate has ensued about the use and function of this nutrition information. Specifically, this research attempts to uncover whether consumer actually use the nutrition information to aid their decision-making process. In two experimental studies, results are presented to enlighten the discussion of consumers’ reactions to nutrition information when it is present on restaurant menus. Contrary to what public policy makers have stated, this research shows that only small groups of consumers use nutrition information on a restaurant menu. The results in both studies indicate that when consumers eat out at restaurants, their decisions are based on taste and preference rather than nutrition information if it is presented on a menu. These results may have implications for the provision of nutrition information on restaurant menus and consumer decision-making.     

Theory of planned behavior and intention to attend a fan convention

We examined the variables predicting fans' intention to attend a fan-related convention. The theory of planned behavior posits that individuals' attitudes, norms, and behavioral control predict individuals' intended behaviors. Bronies—adult fans of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic—rated items regarding theory of planned behavior, past convention attendance, ingroup identification, and intention to attend a brony convention. Results showed that attitudes, norms, perceived control, past behavior, and ingroup identification all uniquely predicted intention to attend. Results and study limitations are discussed within the context of the existing literature, with implications for future research on the topic.     

The impact of public pension board of trustee composition on state bond ratings

The declining financial health of public pension systems is increasingly becoming a budgetary concern for many state and local governments. While the academic literature has identified several factors behind the growth in unfunded state and local public pension liabilities, there is mixed evidence on how the composition of a pension system’s board of trustees affects a pension’s financial health. This article contributes to this literature by measuring how public pension board composition affects fund financial health as measured by state bond ratings. With a panel dataset of state pensions between 2001 and 2014 our results indicate that elected board members are consistently associated with lower bond ratings (and thus higher borrowing costs) while appointed and ex-officio board members are associated with higher bond ratings. These results are robust to a number of specifications.