Outsourcing the procurement function: Do actions and results align with theory?

Are common theories of outsourcing useful in predicting the extent of and performance gains from the outsourcing of procurement activities? Or does procurement׳s broad scope and boundary-spanning role confound successful analysis? This study applies a theoretical framework combining concepts from transaction-cost economics (TCE) and the resource-based view (RBV) to study the procurement outsourcing decisions of two hundred and eighty US-based electronics manufacturing firms. Findings suggest that TCE and RBV act in complementary ways on the procurement outsourcing decision. TCE, through fear of supplier opportunism, appears to be the primary driver of the extent to which procurement activities are outsourced. The RBV, through which the OEM׳s resource position in procurement vis-à-vis its outsourcing partner is determined, appears to be the primary determinant of the performance results of the outsourcing decision. Procurement activities are outsourced to a greater extent when fear of supplier opportunism is low, but such outsourcing is only “justified” (expected to yield performance benefits) when the OEM has a weak resource position vis-à-vis the outsourcing partner. An “enriched” TCE–RBV framework is presented and discussed as part of study results.     

基于广义资源观的企业并购整合的价值创造

并购是重新配置资源有效机制,而并购后的整合是提高社会资源配置的有效手段。并购后整合是否能实现价值的创造是决定企业是否进行并购的重要决定因素。基于广义资源观,探讨了并购后整合的价值创造机理,认为在企业并购中资源、能力和知识的转移是可以实现的,但因要素特性不同和转移过程中遇到的影响因素不同使得其转移的过程和难度有所不同。在企业并购中,经过长期学习积累起来的、以知识为主要形态的无形资源、隐性知识和核心能力的转移难度就很大。无形资源、隐性知识和核心能力的转移难度与这些要素的特征有直接关系。     

Chinese tourists' views of nature and natural landscape interpretation: a generational perspective

This study investigates Chinese tourists’ views of nature, interest in animal experiences and their preferred natural landscape interpretation content from a generational perspective. Eight hundred and eight self-administered questionnaires were collected at Wulingyuan, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, in China. It suggests that overall Chinese traditional cultural values and beliefs, notably the thinking of tian ren he yi (oneness of nature with humans), still have considerable impacts on Chinese tourists. They were found to have a strong sense of connection with nature and a preference for cultural interpretations of natural landscapes. Meanwhile, Chinese might be reaching a point of convergence in terms of attitude towards nature and animals with their Western counterparts, as reflected by their weak anthropocentric view, and strong ethical and aesthetic appreciation of animals, regardless of generation cohorts. Yet, the study shows significant generational gaps: older generations have a stronger connection with nature, are more concerned about environmental issues and show more support for the Western approach towards nature protection; the younger generations hold weaker anthropocentrism, and are more interested in animals, yet are less likely to learn about nature through tourism interpretation.     

The impact of partner diversity within multiparty international joint ventures

Despite the significant role that multiparty international joint ventures (MPIJVs) play within multinational enterprises, we know little about the significant challenges associated with the management of these ventures. Therefore, we combine the Resource-based View of the Firm and Transaction Cost Economics to investigate the effects of the key aspects of partner diversity (i.e., variety, balance, and disparity) on MPIJV dissolution. We test our hypotheses using a dataset of 248 MPIJVs in China. We find empirical support for a U-curve shaped effect of variety and a negative linear effect of balance on MPIJV dissolution.     

Is more better? The relationship between meeting space capacity and hotel operating performance

This study examines the effect of meeting space capacity on hotel operating performance. We use Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm as the theoretical foundation. We employ a national-level dataset with more than 20,000 hotels in the United States for the 2007–2012 period. We find that meeting space has a non-linear effect on hotel operating performance. That is, at low levels of meeting space, meeting space capacity is negatively related to hotel operating performance. At high levels of meeting space, meeting space capacity has a positive influence on operating performance. These findings provide insights for hotel owners, developers and practitioners in planning hotel meeting space capacity.     

Text and metatext in the resource‐based view

This paper distinguishes between text and metatext in the resource‐based view (RBV) – that is, the actual words and logic fundamental to the RBV (the text) and the traditions, interpretations and applications of the theory (the metatext). It argues that Kaufman's ( 2015 ) criticism of the RBV as applied to strategic human resource management actually focuses on RBV metatext and not text. Indeed, unlike some RBV metatext, RBV text actually has a great deal to say about research and practice in strategic human resource management.     

《工程制图》中剖视图的方位表达与标注关系

在工程制图中,表示剖视图(或断面图)剖切平面位置的剖切符号、表示投射方向的箭头、以及字母名称等,标注在不同的视图上,得到的图形方位是不同的。本文针对画图时经常遇到的剖视图(或断面图)的配置、图形的方位以及标注视图的位置等疑惑问题进行分析和探讨。并结合实例对剖视图的展开画法与标注进行了比较与分析。     

科学发展观指导下发展权实现目标、进程与决策机制探析

发展权是《发展权利宣言》所确立的基本人权之一。实现全国各族人民的发展权是我们的重要任务和努力目标。在执政党所提出的科学发展观指导下,发展权实现的目标在于让人民切实享有经济、社会、政治、文化和环境等诸方面因素全面发展的成果;而经济、社会、政治、文化和环境等诸方面协调发展和可持续发展保证了发展权实现进程的协调性与可持续性;发展权实现的决策中应当建立起经济影响因素与非经济影响因素的综合评估机制并实现由政府单纯主导发展决策机制向民众全面参与发展决策机制的转变。     

Resource acquisition strategies in business relationships

Integrating the IMP Group approach with aspects of the resource-based view of the firm, we seek to develop and test a typology of relationship strategies based on different resource acquisition foci. For this purpose, we conducted interviews with thirty CEOs and other senior marketing managers in the UK and the USA. In-depth content analysis identified five main resource acquisition strategies (RAS) behind building business relationships: money bonds, new market bonds, utilization bonds, intellectual bonds, and credibility bonds. We further carried out a quantitative study with 658 senior managers in the USA to test for the generalizability of our findings. Results of a one-way repeated ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression analysis show significant differences between the five RAS for business relationships. However, a pair-wise comparison provides evidence for the existence of hybrid strategies. In addition, an investigation of the association between the RAS of business relationships on the one hand, and business strategy on the other, revealed equifinality of alternative business strategies vis-à-vis the applied relationship strategy. Finally, our analysis revealed no significant differences between the distributions of RAS types for knowledge intensive versus non-knowledge intensive business services. However, we found that RAS distribution is significantly associated with company size.     

中资银行与外资机构联盟合作路径分析

从资源整合角度出发,运用资源基础观相关理论和工具对中外银行战略联盟进行分析,显示中外银行战略联盟是基于双方对额外资源需求基础上形成的互利组合,资源渴求程度对于联盟伙伴的选择具有重要意义;由于战略联盟双方拥有不同的资源与能力组合,因而中外银行的合作深度受到双方资源背景的影响;中资银行与外资机构的战略联盟,尤其是深度合作联盟,在一定程度上优化了国内商业银行的股权结构,增加了银行的净利润,提高了银行经营效率。