A multidimensional measure of social origin: theoretical perspectives,operationalization and empirical application in the field of educational inequality research

Quality & Quantity - This article describes the theoretical reasons and empirical operationalization of a multidimensional social origin measure. It is assumed that different parental resources...     

Liability of smallness in SMEs – Using co-creation as a method for the ‘fuzzy front end’ of HRM practices in the forest industry

This study explores the co-creation part in the early stage of need analysis and the formation of work towards formal HRM practices in the forest industry. While SMEs are shown to be of great importance for the development in society they often suffer from Liability of Smallness (LoS) especially in the area of HRM. In smaller firms, HRM practices are characterized by ad hoc and idiosyncratic solutions and less formality. In this paper, we show how co-creation can be used to develop HR practices in an SME. The overall methodological approach in this study is action-oriented research. The empirical data is collected with a mixed-method approach including documents, interviews, focus groups, observations, pulse meetings and feedback on the process and results. The co-creation process benefits from using co-creation activities to drive the process forward as well as consolidate the results during the process. Dialog, access, risk, transparency, and openness have been valuable in this process.     

Adam Smith on the future of experimental evolution and economics

Experimental evolution is difficult to apply to humans because of the need to study possible changes over many generations. A similar method, though, may see history as a substitute for experiments. The 18th century economist Adam Smith uses methods compatible with the logic of experimental evolution, through the assumption of human homogeneity and the study of history, to explain endogenous variations of preferences and institutions.     

Appropriability regime for radical and incremental innovations

In the present day markets, new product development and innovation are essential for value creation. Innovation, however, hardly provides benefits if rivals are able to copy it with little or no extra cost. Consequently, being able to build an appropriability regime that provides effective protection against imitation and enables getting returns on investments in innovation is necessary. The problem is that choosing the methods to protect different kinds of innovations is not straightforward. In this paper we study appropriating from radical and incremental innovations. It is widely known that many significant differences exist between the two innovation types, and the appropriability conditions are no exception. Empirical evidence on the topic is provided by analyzing survey data collected among 299 companies. As a result, the effects of environmental dynamism and research and development (R&D) intensity on radical and incremental innovation are illustrated, and knowledge is provided on the role of the appropriability regime in enhancing the potential to profit from radical and incremental innovations.     

Perceptual Variables and Nascent Entrepreneurship

Using a large sample of individuals in 28 countries, we investigate what variables are significantly correlated with an individuals decision to become an entrepreneur. Following existing literature in economics, we link such a decision to demographic and economic characteristics. In addition, we argue that perceptual variables such as alertness to opportunities, fear of failure, and confidence about ones own skills are also important. Our results suggest that perceptual variables are significantly correlated with new business creation across all countries in our sample and across gender. Although our data do not allow the identification of causal relationships, our findings suggest that, when making decisions, nascent entrepreneurs rely significantly on subjective and often biased perceptions rather than on objective expectations of success. Thus, perceptual variables should be included in economic models of entrepreneurial behavior.JEL CODE: M13, J24, D01     

Government policy under price uncertainty: A source of volatility in illegal immigration

This paper provides an alternative explanation for why illegal immigration can exhibit substantial volatility. We develop a model economy where migrants make decisions in the face of uncertain border enforcement and transfers from the host country. The uncertainty is extrinsic, a sunspot, and arises due to ambiguity regarding government policy; the sunspot manifests itself as uncertainty in the commodity price of money. Immigration volatility stems from both the trade‐off between the marginal benefits and costs (transfers and enforcement) to migrating and the existence of a sunspot. Finally, we examine the impact of changes in government policies on migration levels.     

Modelling consumer responses to an apparel store brand: Store image as a risk reducer

To make informed private label (PL) strategy decisions, retailers must understand the factors influencing consumer's brand choices. Previous PL studies have investigated grocery products, and ignored unique features of different types of own brands. We investigate attitudes towards buying a retailer-endorsed brand, or store brand (SB), in apparel retailing. Customers of a Finnish department store were surveyed. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Perceived value and quality of SB apparel appear to be the main drivers of purchase intentions. Perceived risk reduces SB value and purchase intentions. Store image affects purchase intentions indirectly, by reducing perceived risk and increasing SB quality perceptions.     

Incremental and Radical Innovation in Coopetition—The Role of Absorptive Capacity and Appropriability

This study examines why some firms are better able than others to reap benefits from collaborating with their competitors in innovation. Whereas on the general level, collaborative innovation has been studied widely, and firm‐specific success factors in collaboration between competitors (i.e., coopetition) have not been exhaustively addressed. Earlier literature describes coopetition as a risky but potentially rewarding relationship in which sharing, learning, and protection of knowledge are recognized as the key issues determining the possible benefits and hazards. This study provides evidence of factors related to this, suggesting that the firm's ability to acquire knowledge from external sources (potential absorptive capacity) and to protect its innovations and core knowledge against imitation (appropriability regime) are relevant in increasing the innovation outcomes of collaborating with its competitors. This study also distinguishes between incremental and radical innovations as an outcome of coopetition, and provides differing implications for the two innovation types. The empirical evidence for the study was gathered from a cross‐industry survey conducted on Finnish markets. The data are analyzed with multivariate multiple regression analysis. The results of the analysis suggest that (1) potential absorptive capacity and appropriability regime of the firm both have a positive effect in the pursuit of incremental innovations in coopetition, and (2) in the case of radical innovations, appropriability regime has a positive effect, while the effect of absorptive capacity is not statistically significant. However, the results also indicate that there is a moderating relationship between these variables, in that the potential absorptive capacity is positively associated with creation of radical innovations within high levels of appropriability regime. These results yield important theoretical and managerial implications. As a whole, the results presented in this study provide new evidence on which types of firms can reap success in the challenging task of collaborative innovation with rivals. In the case of incremental innovation, a firm‐level emphasis on knowledge sharing and learning will positively affect the results of coopetition, as will an emphasis on knowledge protection. Thus, when incremental developments are pursued in coopetition, firms should not only seek to exchange knowledge to create value but also remember to secure the firm‐specific core knowledge within the firm's borders to stay competitive. On the other hand, when the firm is pursuing radical innovation with its rivals, the heaviest emphasis should be on protecting its existing core knowledge and also emerging novel innovations and market opportunities. Capabilities in knowledge acquisition are also beneficial in these cases, but the full benefits of knowledge exchange realize only when the firm's knowledge protection mechanisms are sufficiently strong, allowing for safe knowledge exchange between rivals.     

Managing Channel Partner Relationships: A Cross-National Study

With cross-border channel partnerships increasingly being forged in global markets, manifest conflict between international partners has become a serious problem leading to potentially deleterious effects on overall channel performance. Using data drawn from a cross-national study of distribution practices in three countries, we investigate whether national culture moderates the relationship between leadership style and channel partner conflict, which, in turn, may impact overall channel performance. Based on the empirical results, a standardized “one size fits all” leadership strategy for conflict management in international channels is unlikely to be successful. Cross-cultural channel management implications are discussed, study limitations are described, avenues for future research are identified, and recommendations are offered for managing cross-national channel partner relationships.     

How do lean management organizations behave regarding training and development?

This paper analyses the role of training and development in lean management organizations. The hypothesis is that organizations characterized by lean management have a distinctive profile in terms of training and development. Specifically, it is hypothesized that lean organizations have the following features to a higher extent than non-lean organizations:

? employee involvement in training and development

? use of work groups for quality, product development and task flexibility

? attribution of importance to training in quality, customer orientation and people management

? line management responsibility for training and development of the employees

? use of job enlargement

? information of employees about management decisions

? use of team briefings and quality circles.

The analysis shows that it is possible to identify a relationship between lean management and training and development, although the statistical results could have been more significant. It is also discussed in the paper to what extent country-specific variables dominate (or are dominated by) company-specific characteristics. The general finding is that company-specific impact seems to be stronger than country-specific variables.

In general, it can be said that the lean management pattern as a company-specific variable is characteristic for most countries analysed (although to a varying degree). It is, however, sometimes confounded by country-specific variables. For instance, Turkey does not follow the general pattern, and the hypothesis can be supported only in selected minor areas. Hence, in this case country-specific variables outweigh company-specific variables. In most other countries, this is not the case.