Accounting disclosure,corporate governance and the battle for markets: The case of trade negotiations between Japan and the U.S.

Developments in the socio-economic and political spheres impact upon accounting disclosure and corporate governance. In the context of globalisation, moves have been made ostensibly to converge practices towards global standards, which on the face of it equate to Anglo-American ways. Here, we focus on Japan in this context. We give particular attention to pressure apparently placed upon Japan by the U.S. vis-à-vis bilateral state-level trade negotiations – an under researched area – from the late 1980s. We critically interpret how the Japanese Government has responded to such apparent pressure.     

Wilhelm II. und die Presse — Ein Medienkaiser in seinem Element?

Even during his reign, Wilhelm II was, often derisively, characterized as the Reise- and Redekaiser (emperor of travel and talk). The last German Kaiser seemed to be omnipresent to his contemporaries. This impression was reinforced by the mass medium of the time: the press frequently picked up the Kaiser’s multiple and often deficient public appearances as a central theme. “The first German media star”, as Wilhelm II has also been called due to his affinity for the new medium of film, enjoyed the (medial) attention. Was the monarch a modern “media emperor”, however, who understood the importance, the specific rules, and the potential of the media, and consciously exploited it? My study answers this question based on sources including the writings of contemporary journalists, politicians, members of the entourage, and Wilhelm himself. The results show that Wilhelm’s relationship towards the press was extremely complex. It mirrors the Kaiser’s inner conflicts as well as the inconsistencies of his monarchical concept.     

Antecedents of consumers' time perceptions in a hypermarket retailer

This study examines the effects of five antecedents on consumers' time perceptions in a hypermarket environment. Findings indicate that the actual shopping time spent in the store and planned shopping activities significantly influence consumers' shopping time perceptions, while consumers' waiting time perceptions are driven by both actual checkout waiting time and actual shopping time. The article examines time gaps, i.e. consumers' errors in time estimation, as related to store loyalty intention and finds that past consumer purchases moderate the relationship between both time gaps and store loyalty intention. Managerial implications are discussed in the article.     

An environmental social marketing intervention among employees: assessing attitude and behaviour change

Abstract

The paper examines the impact of individual and organisational factors on two simultaneous environmental social marketing interventions (SmartPrint and heating/cooling) and types of behaviours (recycling, printing and heating/cooling), among employees of a British City Council. Using a quantitative methodology, in the form of a situated experiment, self-reported attitudes, perceptions of organisational support, self-reported behaviours and actual behaviours were measured before and after the interventions. The interventions generated significant changes in employees’ overall environmental behaviour, heating/cooling behaviour and in some perceptions of organisational support (support and incentives/rewards). Findings are used to detail recommendations for future campaigns aiming to improve organisations’ environmental performance and to drive enduring employee behavioural change.     

Engaging Hong Kong businesses in environmental change: drivers and barriers

Hong Kong's businesses have been slow to embrace environmental management principles, particularly in the SME sector. This article analyses key barriers and incentives to engaging Hong Kong businesses with voluntary environmental initiatives and compares their relevance for companies of different sizes. As in other countries, SMEs show a much lower uptake of such activities than larger companies. Their approach towards environmental management is predominantly reactive, and legislation remains the key driver for engaging them with environmental change. Inadequate government policy and support, societal attitudes and corporate culture all contribute significantly to the comparatively poor development of corporate environmental management among Hong Kong companies. As long as most SMEs regard voluntary environmental activities as costly and unnecessary ‘extras’ that endanger their competitiveness and detract resources from their core business without offering any tangible benefits, fundamental improvements in their environmental performance will be difficult to achieve. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Struggles in optimal labelling: how different consumers react to various labels for genetically modified foods

The labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods is an important policy issue, as consumers' attitudes towards these foods appear to be quite sensitive to information about their potential benefits and risks. Because it is difficult for labels to differ across consumers, differences in reactions to label information could lead to conflicts across consumer groups or to different market outcomes. Using factor and cluster analysis, we uncover three consumer segments with different attitudes to the risks and benefits of GM foods. Our segmentation‐based analysis on consumer reactions to information points out important differences across consumers. Not only did we find differences across segments in how they view the credibility of GM‐related information, we also find differences in how information influences segments' perceptions of the product, and in their likelihood to buy.     

Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Matching Methode zur Berücksichtigung von Selbstselektion

Zusammenfassung Häufig ist es von Interesse, den Effekt der Teilnahme an einer Massnahme auf eine Ergebnisvariable zu untersuchen. Um jedoch eine Kausalität adäquat evaluieren zu können, müssen Selbstselektionseffekte berücksichtigt werden. Hierfür wird die Matching Methode vorgeschlagen. Bei der Matching Methode besteht das Ziel darin, durch die Bildung von Paaren von Teilnehmern und Nicht-Teilnehmern den Effekt der Teilnahme an einer Massnahme auf eine Ergebnisvariable zu bewerten. Dieser Beitrag stellt unterschiedliche Varianten der Matching Methode vor und vergleicht diese. Der Beitrag zeigt damit, wie bei betriebswirtschaftlichen Problemen Selbstselektionseffekte angemessen berücksichtigt werden können. JEL classifications C40, C21, M31     

An appraisal of the Vulamehlo Handcraft Project

The sale of Zulu handcrafts from the Spioenkop Nature Reserve curio shop was a project initiated by the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service to improve the social and economic status of the women of a neighbouring community and thereby address the Neighbour Relations Policy of the organisation. This initiative was deemed viable by the women who all needed an additional income. Through collaboration, the project was implemented successfully in a way that gave the women access to resources within the reserve in order to make craft items which were then sold on their behalf. Responses to structured interviews with the women suggest that the project has addressed the social needs of the community by providing several non-tangible benefits. Although the economic benefits from craft item sales were minimal in terms of the average income per person, they were significant to the most committed project members and were deemed significant by all the women who now had disposable cash. The economic viability of the project could be improved by sourcing additional outlets for sales of craft items, and the women would be able to meet an increase in the demand for these items. The predicted increase in the flow of tourism in the uThukela region, together with improved marketing strategies, will provide opportunities for future local markets.     

Due Process Failure in Sector-neutral Accounting Standard-setting

This study of due process in New Zealand draws upon information concerning events from 1993 to 1996 that resulted in the revision of a newly approved financial reporting standard and the withdrawal of requirements for the disclosure of director remuneration. Traditional consultation processes preceding approval of the standard failed to provide the FRSB with an adequate signal of the opposition to come, indicating a failure of due process. Analysis of this case study suggests adoption of a single and sector-neutral Board in New Zealand was undertaken with a poor appreciation of how to manage effective due process in a 'sector-neutral' world.