A Field Experiment in Charitable Contribution: The Impact of Social Information on the Voluntary Provision of Public Goods

We study the effect of social information on the voluntary provision of public goods. Competing theories predict that others' contributions might be either substitutes or complements to one's own. We demonstrate a positive social information effect on individual contributions, supporting theories of complementarities. We find the most influential level of social information is drawn from the 90th to 95th percentile of previous contributions. We furthermore find the effect to be significant for new members but not for renewing members. In the most effective condition, social information increases contributions by 12% ($13). These increased contributions do not crowd out future contributions.     

The role of incentives and communication in strategic alliances: an experimental investigation

This paper experimentally examines the determinants of the deviation between potential and realized value creation in strategic alliances. To better understand how decision making in alliances may influence success, we use an experimental design that juxtaposes two important factors that affect alliance members' decisions: economic incentives and communication. The evidence from our experiment sheds light on the relative impact of each, and more importantly, how both factors interact to explain successful outcomes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A dual-process model of how incorporating audio-visual sensory cues in video advertising promotes active attention

Capturing consumers’ attention to video advertising is a key marketing challenge. Using real video advertising viewed by a sample of consumers matching the US population on age and gender, the authors examined attention to audio-visual and visual sensory cues identifying the brand using a biometric measure, phasic heart rate. The findings show differences in attention type depending on which senses are stimulated by the sensory cue. This research uncovers a mechanism (internal processing) for how consumers process multisensory cues (audio-visual) in video advertising and confirms visual sensory cues can elicit automatic attention through the orienting response. In addition to the dual-coding explanation for the superiority of audio-visual sensory cues, the present research suggests a second reason: that audio-visual sensory cues can elicit additional internal processing of the brand name, resulting in active attention and better storage of the brand in memory. This has implications for the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing, as well as for marketers relating to the type of content recommended to follow an audio-visual or visual sensory cue in video advertising.     

Glocalization of accounting standards: Observations on neo-institutionalism of IPSAS

This paper defines and then observes processes of glocalization surrounding the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for public sector financial reporting. Glocalization can be best understood using sociological institutionalism, because this theory focuses on the retention of identity, and processes of legitimacy, during adaptation (diffusion) of standards. The paper discusses the history of standard-setting for the public sector in New Zealand to explain why this theory has value.

IMPACT

This paper defines and describes the utility of the concept of glocalization in analysing the implementation of IPSAS, with a New Zealand focus. The value of the paper is in its combination of a jurisdiction-specific experience with an understanding of the broader issues of ‘global versus local’ and processes of sociological institutionalism. Such studies of IPSAS adoption can offer distinctive perspectives on global processes of isomorphism within neo-institutional theory. This paper explains the advantages of flexible strategies to standard-setters.     

Technology Use: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Atlantic Economic Journal - There is growing evidence of risks associated with excessive technology use, especially among teens and young adults. However, little is known about the characteristics...     

A SURVEY OF JEL CODES: WHAT DO THEY MEAN AND ARE THEY USED CONSISTENTLY?

The use and prevalence of JEL code categorization is wide in the field of economics, but what do JEL code classifications actually tell us? And are they used with consistency by academics in the field? Utilizing a data set of articles published in the American Economic Review from 1990 to 2008, we investigate whether there is heterogeneity in JEL codes assignments between authors and editors. We find that there is. A secondary goal of this paper is to survey overall thematic trends in JEL code usage over the past four and a half decades. One result is that JEL category M: Business Economics, in particular, appears to be thematically and spatially distinct from much of the rest of the published literature in the top general interest journals in the field.     

Social marketing theory development goals: an agenda to drive change

ABSTRACT

Environmental, health, and social change is complex and frequently is framed as a problem(s) to be solved. This framing focuses effort on delivery of solutions designed to change systemic environmental, health, and social problems. Theory, an organising framework for effort, remains under-utilised in behavioural and social sciences. An individual psychological lens dominates and emphasis is placed on explaining and predicting individual behaviour and not behavioural change. It is time to break free and deliver frameworks that extend focus beyond individuals to all citizens, and apply new evaluation approaches that assess individual and structural changes. Ten Social Marketing Theory Development Goals (goals) categorised in three groups: (i) research design; (ii) building social marketing theory; and (iii) methodological innovation are outlined to assist social marketers to develop new ways of thinking that will deliver the theory and evidence base needed to outline what practitioners and policy makers should do to effect change.