The significance of sustained entrepreneurial orientation on performance of firms – A longitudinal analysis

This study focuses on the importance of changes in entrepreneurial orientation (EO) over time for subsequent firm performance, and the significance which inimitable resources (networks, governance system and unique competence) might have in this connection. Hypotheses are developed to test the effects that changes in EO level over a time period and resources have on subsequent firm performance. The study is based on data from 168 Norwegian SMEs, interviewed both in 2000 and 2003. The primary contribution of this study is that a change in EO over time (increased or decreased), may be of importance for a firm's performance represented by performance compared to competitors, and employment growth. A focus on entrepreneurial activities seems to be beneficial in the long run (increasing EO), while the opposite is the case if the EO level decreases. It is especially encouraging to see that firms focusing on EO (increased or the same) are positively associated with employment growth, one of the primary policy goals world-wide. Another contribution from this study is that resources that may be inimitable for firms have some influence on performance compared to competitors. Implications for policy-makers, practitioners and further research are discussed.     

A Structural Model to Examine How Destination Image,Attitude, and Motivation Affect the Future Behavior of Tourists

This study examines a behavioral model of wetlands tourism using variables of destination image, attitude, motivation, satisfaction and future behavior for tourists at Cigu, Sihcao and Haomeiliao in southwestern Taiwan. Empirical results indicate that destination image directly affects satisfaction and indirectly affects future behavior. Tourist attitude directly affects satisfaction and indirectly affects future behavior, while tourist motivation directly affects satisfaction and indirectly affects future behavior. Tourist satisfaction had a significant influence on future behavior, and satisfaction proved a significant mediating variable within this behavioral model.     

互联网应用与创业绩效:社会资本的中介作用

借助社会资本理论,探究了与企业经营密切相关的互联网应用——信息获取与社交沟通如何通过社会资本积累对创业绩效产生影响。利用来自中国2432家创业企业的调研数据进行实证研究。结果显示:社会资本中的服务者联系对互联网应用的信息获取维度与创业绩效的关系起部分中介作用;社会资本中的参与者联系对互联网应用的社交沟通维度与创业绩效的关系起部分中介作用。     

South African Business Dynamics

ABSTRACT

This study attempts to develop a scale to measure the individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) of persons in South Africa. Respondents were subjected to a survey instrument and provided information on items pertaining to their demographics, entrepreneurial orientation, and values. The results showed substantial differences on the range of items between black and white entrepreneurs.     

Gender Differences in Service Quality Expectations in the Fast Food Industry

Abstract

Services marketers can influence the evaluation of service quality by “managing” customer expectations. Expectations can also provide insights into market segmentation strategies. Gender is often used as a segmentation variable since it is easily identifiable, accessible, and profitable. The purpose of this study was to examine if there are any gender-based differences in the expectations of service quality in the fast food industry. Hypotheses on gender differences in expectations were tested by an ANOVA, where the composite scores of each of the five dimensions of fast food service were used as dependent variables. The expectations of women were significantly higher than men in four of the five dimensions of fast food service quality.     

家庭生命周期与旅游态度的关联研究——以长沙市居民为例

家庭是旅游态度形成的最重要环境背景,也一直是旅游活动的重要组织单元,探究家庭生命周期与旅游态度的关系意义重大.文章依据已有研究成果,建立家庭生命周期模型,制定旅游态度量表,以问卷工具面向长沙市居民进行调查,获得基础数据,运用因子分析得到了追求享受、强调卫生、看重设施、向往体验、关注身心健康等5个方面的旅游态度主成分,通过验证性因子分析后,再用相关分析、多元回归分析探究家庭生命周期与旅游态度5个主成分的关系.结果表明,随着家庭生命周期的演进,人们愈发追求享受、看重设施、关注身心健康.无巢期人群看重设施和关注身心健康的表现低于其他阶段人群,空巢期人群追求享受的表现高于其他阶段人群,空巢期、鳏寡期人群关注身心健康的表现高于其他阶段人群,满巢期人群向往体验的表现高于其他阶段人群.     

解读“穷人思维”:贫困农户风险态度的影响因素分析——来自广西、贵州贫困山区入户实地实验的证据

采用入户实地实验的方式，从贫困农户风险态度的影响因素入手对"穷人思维"进行解读。在广西、贵州两个少数民族聚居乡（镇）进行的抽样调查和实验发现，贫农普遍厌恶风险，特别在面临可能的损失时风险厌恶程度显著上升，但也有部分风险偏好者，在面临可能的损失时却更为偏好风险；越是厌恶风险者获得的实验收益越低，相反越是偏好风险者获得的实验收益越高；配偶、母亲受教育水平的增加显著降低了贫农的风险厌恶程度；家庭承受的教育负担越重，贫农的风险厌恶程度越高。扶贫政策的开展和实施应考虑贫农的风险态度，完善针对风险偏好者的多样化的金融支持和针对风险厌恶者的低息金融扶持，能覆盖更广泛的贫农群体。长期来看，教育扶贫应当成为一项持续的重点扶贫政策，降低家庭教育负担、提高女性的受教育年限、加强成人继续教育培训都将产生长期、积极的显著影响。     

探索高校班主任工作理念

随着我国高校的扩招和国外思想潮流的冲击,加之大学生价值观、世界观的变迁,高校思想政治工作的难度不断加大,这与高校思政教育人员缺乏形成了鲜明的对立,如何发挥年轻教师的引导模范作用进行大学生思想政治教育,成为解决矛盾的新途径。文中对年轻任课教师担任学生班主任进行了分析,分别从态度、热情、规范、细节四个方面阐述了班主任的工作理念。     

Contextualizing theory building in entrepreneurship research

Theory development and testing are central to the advancement of entrepreneurship as a scholarly field. For nearly three decades now, researchers have borrowed popular theories from other disciplines and adapted them to the study of diverse entrepreneurship phenomena. This has enhanced the rigor of research findings. Future studies can achieve greater rigor and relevance by paying more attention to the context of their investigations. Understanding the nature, dynamics, uniqueness and limitations of this context can enrich future studies. This article describes common problems revealed in recent entrepreneurship research when applying existing and new theories to well known vs. emerging and novel phenomena. The article also suggests strategies to enrich creative and constructive theory building.     

从鱼翅贸易谈鲨鱼资源养护问题上的中国态度

我国及东南亚国家的鱼翅贸易在鲨鱼资源养护问题上备受攻击,甚至被认为是鲨鱼资源缩减的罪魁祸首。但事实上我国的近海鲨鱼捕捞并未形成产业,以兼捕为主,鱼翅也只是种类繁多的鲨鱼产品贸易中的平常一部分,妖魔化此产业对我国极其不利,也抹杀了我国在鲨鱼资源养护上所做出的巨大努力。我国一方面应联合东南亚国家积极争夺鲨鱼资源养护国际法制的话语权,为鱼翅产业及文化正名,另一方面也应进一步有效管理鲨鱼产业。