Assessing the psychometric properties of the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire in the Korean business context

The primary purpose of this research is to adapt the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire developed by Watkins and Marsick, and examine its validity and reliability in a Korean context. Although the concept of the learning organization is well established, there has not been rigorous validation of the application of the questionnaire in the Korean context. The present research sheds light on the reliability and validity of applying the learning organization concept to the Korean workforce. The results of confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests indicate that the Korean version of the questionnaire produces valid and reliable psychometric properties of learning organization characteristics in a Korean cultural context. Several demographic variables were used to identify the differences in learning organization cultural perspectives. Conclusions and implications are set out and the limitations of the research stated.     

Time-based competition: Some empirical data from Singapore

The progressive edge of competition has moved from what was primarily a cost-based strategy through that which was quality-based, and then variety-based, and now, onto the time-based mode of competition. This paper presents a status report of the response of the Singapore manufacturing sector to such a progression in competitive paradigms. In particular, we will refer to empirical data from the latest Singapore Manufacturing Futures Survey to provide an update on the apparent status of the local manufacturing environment in terms of such current paradigms of competition. From these, we will draw some implications for operations management, that is, what should local producers and suppliers do in the light of such current modes of competition. Such implications may be of help to other manufacturing businesses operating in other countries.The author is with the Department of Decision Sciences, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 0511.     

Tests for zero inflation in a bivariate zero‐inflated Poisson model

The score test statistics for testing zero inflation and covariance parameter are proposed in the bivariate zero‐inflated Poisson (BZIP) regression model. The Monte Carlo studies show that the score test and likelihood ratio test for testing zero inflation underestimate the nominal significance level, while the score test for covariance parameter keeps the significance level close to the nominal one. To overcome this nominal level underestimation, we propose a bootstrap method of the score test for the testing problem of zero inflation. An empirical example with covariates is provided to illustrate the results. In addition, score test for zero inflation is also proposed in the BZIP model, which allows a flexible dependence structure using copula.     

Attendance and the Uncertainty-of-Outcome Hypothesis in Baseball

Sports offer interesting insights into demand due to the added twist of fan preferences for outcome uncertainty. We add to and amend previous work by analyzing the time series behavior of Major League Baseball attendance (1901–2003) using break point analysis, exploring a wide variety of measures of game uncertainty, playoff uncertainty, and consecutive season uncertainty. Only playoff uncertainty is statistically significant, and it is economically significant only for (1) truly ambitious intervention and (2) recent history. The policy implication is that actual league choices may be motivated by wealth redistribution rather than concerns over competitive balance.      

Online shoppers' response to price comparison sites

Customers' perceptions of price differ in the online environment due to the presence of price comparison sites. The purpose of this study is to examine how price comparison sites affect price and value perceptions of online shoppers across different product types and price consciousness levels of online shoppers. The results of the study indicate that the price information provided by an online price comparison site influences online shoppers' perceptions of internal reference prices. However, the influence of a price comparison site on value perception differs according to product type. As evidenced by the significant interaction effect between product type and price comparison site information, the presence of price comparison sites increases both transaction and acquisition value perceptions for the non-look-and-feel product category (e.g., notebook computers), but not for the look-and-feel product category (e.g., jeans). Contrary to the expectation, online shoppers' price consciousness influences their price and value perceptions independently of price comparison site information.     

Determinants of the Confucius Institute establishment

This paper investigates the determinants of the Confucius Institute (CI) establishment. It is shown that FDI, trade, geographical distance, developing country, and English speaking are important factors whereas GDP and population are marginally significant. Overall, CIs are under-represented in a non-English, distant, less wealthy developing country that trades infrequently with China. The results suggest that the CI network will have greater global impacts when new or more CIs are established in non-English speaking developing countries. However, potential mutual benefits between China and these under-representing countries should be preconditions in order to attract CIs in the countries.     

Use of behavioral reasoning theory to examine the role of social responsibility in attitudes toward apparel donation

Drawing on behavioral reasoning theory, this study investigated drivers of young consumers’ apparel donation behavior. By examining the impact of values (i.e., benevolence and power) and reasons (i.e., other‐oriented reasons and self‐oriented reasons) on attitudes, this study highlights the different motivations individuals have for donating clothing. As predicted, benevolence was positively related to other‐oriented reasons for donations and power was positively related to self‐oriented reasons for donations. Both other‐ and self‐oriented reasons for donating influenced attitudes related to apparel donation behavior. These findings offer an overarching explanation for the seemingly disparate reasons for apparel donation previously identified.     

The Contributions of Firm Innovativeness to Customer Value in Purchasing Behavior

The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of firm innovativeness and product innovativeness on the components of customer value mediated by instrumental and symbolic brand benefits. Over the last 10 years, the mobile phone industry in Korea has grown rapidly, with the introduction of several innovative phone features. The research context therefore is mobile phones with Internet access and their users in Korea. A major research finding is that the firm innovativeness affects product innovativeness, and hence, the instrumental brand benefits. A firm's innovativeness also has a significant effect on the symbolic brand benefits and the partnership value. Our key academic contribution is to expand the previous fragmentary studies of customer value, by classifying customer value into four components: expectation, partnership, transaction, and relationship customer values, rather than just focusing on benefits and sacrifices. Implications for managers include the verification that firm innovativeness is a source of ability for mobile phone firms to create value for customers. Instrumental and symbolic brand benefits through innovation should be the focus area for marketers and new product development (NPD) managers in mobile phone firms to communicate with consumers to increase expectation values in the prepurchase step.     

Dynamic Global Linkages of the BRICS Stock Markets with the United States and Europe Under External Crisis Shocks: Implications for Portfolio Risk Forecasting

Crisis shocks often lead to changes in the interdependence across stock markets and thus affect risk assessment and management. This paper investigates the extent to which the global financial crisis of 2008–09, which was triggered by the US subprime crisis in 2007, and the European debt crisis that started at the end of 2009, affects the interdependence of the leading emerging markets of the BRICS countries with those of the United States and Europe. Our empirical analysis makes use of the FIAPARCH model combined with the Dynamic Equicorrelation (DECO‐FIAPARCH), which allows for the estimation of market linkage for a large group of countries as a whole, while controlling for asymmetric volatility and long memory. The results reveal the presence of important changes in the time‐varying linkages of the BRICS stock markets with the US and European ones. In particular, the average linkages have significantly been higher between 2007 and the first half of 2012 than the remaining part of the sample, and there is also evidence of a structural change around the Lehman Brothers collapse. We also show the effects of these stylised facts on portfolio risk assessment and forecasting.     

Determinants of Anti‐Trafficking Policies: Evidence from a New Index

We develop an index measuring the three main dimensions – prosecution, protection, and prevention – of the anti‐trafficking policies of the governments of up to 180 countries over the 2000?2010 period. Overall, developed countries perform better than the rest of the world; compliance with prosecution policy is highest, while governmental efforts to protect victims of human trafficking remain weakest. We employ the new indices to investigate which factors determine anti‐trafficking policies. We find that compliance with anti‐trafficking policies significantly decreases with corruption and is higher in countries that also respect the rights of women. We also find some tentative evidence for spatial dependence in anti‐trafficking policies.