Relinking Cross‐functional Collaboration,Knowledge Integration Mechanisms,and Product Innovation Performance: a Moderated Mediation Model

Previous research shows that knowledge integration mechanisms (KIMs) mediate the cross‐functional collaboration‐product innovation performance relationship; however, this mediating effect seems to be rather weak. This study, in contrast, develops a moderated mediation (MOME) model to argue that such a mediating effect is moderated by product innovativeness. A sample comprised of 106 manufacturing firms is utilized in the analyses. A moderated‐mediation approach shows that the mediating effect of KIMs in the linkage between cross‐functional collaboration and product innovation performance varies by different perspectives of product innovativeness. From an industry (macro‐level) perspective, product innovativeness positively moderates the mediating effect of KIMs on product innovation performance; in contrast, such a moderating effect is not significant under a firm (micro‐level) perspective. Copyright © 2011 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nonlinear effects of monetary policy on stock returns in a smooth transition autoregressive model

This paper employs smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) models to investigate the nonlinear effect of monetary policy on stock returns. The change in the Federal funds rate is used as an endogenous measure of monetary policy, and the growth rate of industrial production is also considered in the model. Our results show that the relationship between the monetary policy and excess returns on stock prices is positive and nonlinear. A decrease in the Federal funds rate causes a larger increase in excess returns if excess stock returns are located in the extreme low excess returns regime.     

Foreign direct investment and business cycle co-movements: The panel data evidence

The previous literature has largely overlooked the possible channels through which foreign direct investment (FDI) might influence business cycle synchronization. In this study we analyze the linkages that exist among FDI, trade and industrial dissimilarity in relation to business cycle co-movements using a panel data set taken from 77 pairs of developed countries. The error component three-stage least squares (EC3SLS) estimates from a simultaneous equations model with panel data are shown to be superior to the estimates obtained from single equation models or simultaneous equations models with cross-sectional data. Our results indicate that FDI serves as a channel of international business cycle transmission that is equally important as the channels of trade and monetary policy. On the contrary, industrial dissimilarity is identified as having an indirect impact on the business cycle correlation through trade and FDI. Furthermore, our findings suggest that in our sample FDI is of the horizontal type and tends to substitute for trade.     

The Qualitative and Quantitative Models for Performance Measurement Systems: The Agile Service Development

A decision model for selection using analytic hierarchy process (AHP), however, they did not consider interdependence property but consider independence property among alternatives or criteria. It could become inadequate in measurement of actual performance of the decision process. In order to reduce the decision gap, this paper considers when independence among different elements of a system assumption is violated and takes into account the degree of the interdependence among them. The fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) approach with agile theory is developed to apply in analyzing the new service development in the wholesale center. The FANP could not only offer a hierarchy framework more efficiency and accuracy but also improve human judgment on the importance of requirements involving imprecise and vague. The technique has proved useful for comparing the importance among the determinants of agile for new service development in decision maker’s mind, including agile cost, time, robustness and scope. The empirical result points out that “Diverse designs” of new service development is the best choice for the wholesale center, following as “Service extended” and “Technological core”.     

Modes of cooperative R&D commercialization by start‐ups

This study empirically examines the determinants of heterogeneous firm‐level cooperative R&D commercialization strategies. While the volume of interfirm collaboration has increased dramatically in recent decades, the determinants of firm‐level choices among alternate modes of such cooperative activity remain relatively understudied. We develop a conceptual model of factors determining collaborative mode choice at the organizational portfolio level. These factors include the firm‐level appropriation environment, in which deal‐level choices have portfolio‐level spillover implications, as well as governance capabilities developed by the firm over time. Using a random sample of innovating biotechnology start‐ups, we assemble a firm‐year panel dataset that aggregates transaction‐level collaboration data to the firm‐year level, allowing us to characterize firms' portfolios of collaborative deals. We find broad empirical support for our model, suggesting that a firm's appropriation environment and governance capabilities strongly influence portfolio‐level collaboration mode choices. In addition, we explore the implications of governance capability development, finding that experience with particular modes, as well as deviations from existing capabilities, impact firm valuation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Experimental Study on Dividing Gains through Politics

This article offers experimental evidence to examine an important case in politics where a monopolistic proposer seeks a majority's consent from competitive responders to split the gain. The unique subgame perfect equilibrium prediction is that the side of trade with a monopoly will exploit the side of trade with competition to reap almost all of the gain. Our experimental evidence reveals that while responders do compete with each other to race to the bottom (consistent with the prediction), the monopolistic proposer settles down to offer a ‘fair’ share of the pie to those from whom he or she seeks majority support (contrary to the prediction).     

Assessing Gender Differences in Computer Professionals’ Self-Regulatory Efficacy Concerning Information Privacy Practices

Concerns with improper collection and usage of personal information by businesses or governments have been seen as critical to the success of the emerging electronic commerce. In this regard, computer professionals have the oversight responsibility for information privacy because they have the most extensive knowledge of their organization’s systems and programs, as well as an intimate understanding of the data. Thus, the competence of these professionals in ensuring sound practice of information privacy is of great importance to both researchers and practitioners. This research addresses the question of whether male computer professionals differ from their female counterparts in their self-regulatory efficacy to protect personal information privacy. A total of 103 male and 65 female subjects surveyed in Taiwan responded to a 10-item questionnaire that includes three measures: protection (protecting privacy information), non-distribution (not distributing privacy information to others), and non-acquisition (not acquiring privacy information). The findings show (1) significant gender differences exist in the subjects’ overall self-regulatory efficacy for information privacy, and, in particular, (2) that female subjects in this study exhibited a higher level of self-regulatory efficacy than males for the protection and non-acquisition of personal privacy information. The identification of the factorial structure of the self-regulatory efficacy concerning information privacy may contribute to future research directed to examining the links between privacy efficacy and psychological variables, such as ethical attitude, ethical intention, and self-esteem. Studies can also be extended to investigate how different cultural practices of morality and computer use in men and women may shape the different development patterns of privacy self-efficacy. Understanding the different cultural practices may then shed light on the social sources of privacy competence and the appropriate remedies that can be provided to improve the situation. Feng-Yang Kuo holds a B.S. degree in Management Science from Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan and a Ph.D.degree in Information Systems from University of Arizona. He was a faculty of Information Systems at University of Colorado at Denver from 1985 to 1997 and is currently an associate professor of Information Management in Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan. He has published articles in Communications of ACM, MIS Quarterly, Communications of AIS, Journal of Business Ethics, Information & Management, Journal of Systems and Software, Decision Support Systems, and Sun Yat-Sen Management Review. Among his current interests are information ethics, managerial cognition, and human-computer interfaces. Cathy S.Lin Professor Cathy S.Lin is an assistant professor of Information Management at National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Her Ph.D.is in Management Information Systems from National Sun Yat-Sen University. She has published articles in the Information & Management, Journal of Information Management, and Sun Yat-Sen Management Review. Among her current interests are information ethics, ethical decision making, electronic commerce, and information management. Meng-Hsiang Hsu Professor Meng-Hsiang Hsu is a professor of information management at National Kaohsiung of First University of Science and Technology. His Ph.D. is in Management Information Systems from National Sun Yat-Sen University. He has published articles in the J. of Business Ethics, Behavior & information Technology, Decision Support System, and Industrial Management and Data Systems. Among his current interests are knowledge management, information ethics, strategic information systems, and electronic commerce.     

The mediator effects of conceiving imagination on academic performance of design students

Three studies were combined to examine the effects of creativity and imagination on the academic performance of design students. Study 1 conducted an exploratory factor analysis to determine the most appropriate structure of the Creativity Capability Scale (CCS) in a sample of 313 college students. The scale was a new self-report measure, and it was developed to be both empirically valid and easy to administer. A two-factor solution identified originality and useful flexibility as dimensions of human creativity. Study 2 conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the established structure of the CCS in a sample of 284 college students in design schools. In addition, we also confirmed the structure of the Imaginative Capability Scale using the same sample. A three-factor solution supported an earlier study in which human imagination was categorized into three types, namely initiating, conceiving, and transforming imaginations. The analyses of composite reliability and construct validity gave both scales good support. Study 3 further tested the effects of creativity and imagination on academic performance in a sample of 271 design students. The hypothesis of Study 3—that conceiving imagination acted as a mediator between creativity/imagination and academic performance—was partially supported. The structural model also showed that useful flexibility, initiating imagination and transforming imagination demonstrated positive, indirect effects on academic performance. Critical reflections on the results are provided. Discussions for future studies are also proposed.     

Understanding how consumers view green hotels: how a hotel's green image can influence behavioural intentions

As the public is increasingly concerned about environmental issues, green management is rapidly becoming a strategic tool that can enhance a hotel's competitive advantage. This study explores how to develop the image and branding of a green hotel using the concepts of cognitive, affective and overall images. The study, based on a survey of 416 hotel users, also investigates how a green hotel image can affect behavioural intentions (i.e. intention to revisit, intention to offer positive recommendations to others and willingness to pay a premium). The findings confirm that cognitive image components (namely value and quality attributes) can exert a positive influence on a green hotel's affective and overall images. The affective image is also found to positively affect a green hotel's overall image. A green hotel's overall image, in turn, can contribute to more favourable behavioural intentions. Quality attributes were found to be more powerful than value attributes. The importance of the concept of selfish altruism and obtaining a feeling of wellbeing from a purchase were shown to be very strong. A range of theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Friedman meets Becker and Mulligan in a monetary neoclassical growth model

We study a neoclassical growth model with the time preference determined by resources spent on imagining future pleasures along the line of Becker and Mulligan (Q J Econ 112:729–758, 1997). We introduce money into the economy via a cash-in-advance constraint and study the effect of higher seignorage taxes or higher monetary growth rates on capital, consumption and welfare in the long run. We find that if the fraction of investment constrained by cash is smaller than a threshold, the negative-monetary-growth Friedman (The Optimum Quantity of Money and Other Essays, 1969) rule does not hold and the optimal inflation rate is positive. Calibrating our model yields a mild optimal inflation rate per annum with a switch from zero inflation to optimal inflation creating a sizable welfare gain in terms of consumption equivalence.