Technological opportunism effects on IT adoption,intra-firm diffusion and performance: Evidence from the U.S. and Spain

The paper pursues a joint analysis of the direct influence of the level of a firm's technology opportunism capability on performance and on the adoption and intra-firm diffusion of Internet-based technologies. The study here examines the mediating effect that intra-firm diffusion exerts on the relationship between capabilities and performance. This study uses the results from a survey of 100 Spanish and 109 American franchise firms. Results indicate that the firm's level technological opportunism influences the adoption and intra-firm diffusion of technology and also has a positive impact on performance. While intra-firm diffusion is a driver of performance, adoption has no influence. Finally the indirect impact of technological opportunism on performance differs across countries. While for American firms, the integration of technologies into activities that related to communication with partners has a positive impact on performance; Spanish managers should focus on the integration of these technologies into back-end functionalities.     

Theory Choice in Economics: Philosophy and Practice

This article evaluates the factors that influence the opportunistic behavior observed in the automotive fuel distribution sector (ethanol and gasoline) and the way this behavior has affected the stability of transactions between distributors and retail gas stations in the State of São Paulo (Brazil). The methodology we adopt in this study is logistic regression. Contracts analysis showed good results in reducing opportunism through fuel adulteration (-68.6 percent), and enforcement by distributors proved effective in curbing opportunism through noncompliance with agreements. We also found that time in the market is a factor conducive to opportunistic behavior, while the application of higher prices is a factor that discourages opportunism.     

U.S.-Based Fast-Food Restaurants: Factors Influencing the International Expansion of Franchise Systems

Studies of international franchising are scant but increasing and can be divided into two streams of research: those focusing on environmental predictors of internationalization and those focusing on strategic, firm-level characteristics. Examining the latter category, this study empirically explores a set of firm-level attributes as predictors of decision making on whether firms seek international expansion. Using longitudinal data from Bond's Franchise Guide 2001–2008, we draw on a sample of U.S.-based fast-food franchise systems to test our hypotheses. Specifically, our database is composed of 1,058 observations of 158 chains, and we estimate a semi-parametric logistic model for international franchising. The model contributes to the literature by being the first to examine the nonlinearity of international franchising determinants using agency theory. The results show that (a) bonding, (b) the percentage of franchised units, (c) the number of states within which the system operates, and (d) the provision of area development agreements and sub-franchising significantly contribute to the international expansion of U.S.-based fast-food franchisors.     

金融风险财政化与经济增长——模型分析与实证检验

金融风险财政化不仅会对财政支出形成压力,直接造成财政赤字缺口的拉大,而且还会助长金融市场上各类行为主体的机会主义心理,持续酝酿更深层次的金融风险。由此宏观经济风险必然会被大幅度地向上推动,使得各类经济主体的风险增大,从而经济增长亦因此而受到抑制。这个论断不仅得到模型的证明,而且还可以得到基于中国1978～2007年间数据协整分析的支持。     

机会主义和制度安排:民办高等教育可持续发展路径探析

实现可持续发展是民办高等教育的最终目标。但是,由于现有制度供给不足以及制度约束力偏低等问题的存在,导致民办高等教育领域存在诸多机会主义行为,从而影响了民办高等教育可持续发展目标的实现。为实现民办高等教育的可持续发展,从制度层面要做好以下两方面的工作:(1)完善民办高等教育的制度体系(2)增强相关制度的约束力。     

An Empirical Investigation of Bilateral Investments and Opportunism in Buyer-Supplier Relationships

Collaboration between buyers and their suppliers often requires both parties to dedicate specialized investments to the relationship. These bilateral idiosyncratic investments serve as mutual hostages and signal commitment to the relationship, yet they are susceptible to expropriation. Drawing on research in social psychology and transaction cost economics, we argue that the nature of the bilateral idiosyncratic investments influences perceptions of a supplier's opportunism that in turn influences retailer opportunism and relationship outcomes. Data collected from 120 Norwegian managers of consumer electronics retail stores provide an assessment of the proposed model. The results indicate that the total and asymmetrical nature of the bilateral idiosyncratic investments influence perceptions of supplier opportunism and these perceptions, in turn, influence the retailer's opportunism and commitment to the relationship. Implications of these findings and future research are discussed.     

The Use of Accommodation in Buyer–Seller Relationships: Encouraging or Controlling Opportunism in Business Markets Middle-grounds

ABSTRACT

Purpose: In the past decades, marketing researchers have explored different strategies to control opportunism in buyer–seller relationships. Accommodation, the cooperative response to partners’ exploitive behavior in exchange relationships, has received increasing attention from research on interfirm relationships. However, less is known about whether accommodation is an effective response strategy for controlling opportunism. Drawing on the self-enforcing agreement literature, this article focuses on exploring (1) what drives a firm’s accommodation response to its partner’s exploitive behavior, (2) how a firm’s accommodation helps govern its exchange partner’s opportunistic behavior, and (3) whether monitoring magnifies or buffers the effect of accommodation on the exchange partners’ opportunism.

Methodology: The survey data were collected from 173 seller-firms in Guangdong, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou, representing the south, east, north, and middle regions of China. The initial questionnaires were distributed mainly by mail. By assessing the nonresponse bias and the potential bias of early and late responses, we detected no significant differences, implying that the aforementioned biases are not a concern. Because PLS can readily model both formative and reflective constructs, and accommodation is a formative construct, we deployed the SmartPLS software program to test our model.

Findings: This article enables a deeper understanding of accommodation as a response strategy in buyer–seller relationships. The data analysis offers supportive evidence that a firm’s level of accommodation is positively related to two exchange attributes: joint-specific investments and observability of the exchanges. Accommodation, as a cooperative response strategy, curtails opportunism in buyer–seller relationships, and such a curtailing role is magnified when accompanied with monitoring.

Originality/value/contribution: The authors develop a framework to examine previously untested relationships, which suggest accommodation is a cooperative response strategy to mitigate opportunism. We also contribute by exploring the antecedents of accommodation from the tangible transaction attributes perspective. Specifically, two exchange attributes, joint-specific investments and observability, can explain the emergence of accommodation. In addition, we examine the combined effect of competitive response strategies and cooperative response strategies on controlling partner opportunism. That is, competitive response strategies (i.e., monitoring) strengthen the governing effect of cooperative response strategies (i.e., accommodation).     

审计机关机构设置与审计质量:基于分权制衡理论视角的分析

政府审计机关履行审计职能的权力可分解为审计立项权、审计取证权、审计报告权及处理处罚权等。然而受制于审计机关内部机构设置的现状,当前多种审计权力的行使主要集中于业务部门。由于分权制衡的有效性不足,机会主义行为很有可能发生,审计机关内部机构设置方式已成为当前影响政府审计质量的关键性因素。因此,通过机构改革与创新,形成审计权力的相对分离与制约机制,增加审计透明度和审计权力监督效果,减少审计合谋与过滤行为,对保障审计质量具有十分重要的现实意义。     

公共危机与地方财政运行机制的重构——基于财政机会主义的视角

近年来,我国频繁发生大型公共危机,严重影响了民众的生命财产安全与社会经济的可持续发展。我国公共危机防治的困境在一定程度上导源于地方财政的机会主义行为,而我国政府间激励约束机制不合理和财政管理体制不健全则是地方财政机会主义普遍存在的重要根源。从现实来看,地方财政机会主义的普遍存在不仅导致了公共危机的形成,而且加大了公共危机的治理难度,放大了其对社会经济运行的负面影响。为此,我国需要重构地方财政运行机制,建立有效的激励约束机制,合理界分政府间公共危机的防治责任,为地方政府配置有效的财力,并建立完善的地方财政监督机制。     

Cartel success and institutions. The Finnish Cotton Cartel, 1903–1939

This article uses institutional theory to interpret collusive behaviour in the pre-World War II cotton cartel in Finland. The findings do not support the optimistic view of the institutionalists about the efficiency of economic institutions in boosting cooperation. Only one (the conciliation mechanism) of the four institutions identified in the cotton cartel could check opportunism to a certain degree, although it too lacked effective enforcement characteristics. This article argues that, in cartels, the motivation to follow institutions is fundamentally different from other environments, particularly trade. Besides institutions, organisational solutions, such as a sales agency that removes individual firms' discretion over pricing decisions, are needed to enhance cartel stability.