What is the value of human resource certification? A multi-level framework for research

We make a contribution to narrowing the science–practice gap by adopting a multi-level theory-based approach to investigating an important issue for practitioners in human resource management: human resource (HR) certification. Despite the facts that more than 150,000 individuals in more than 70 countries have become certified and that HR certification has turned into a million-dollar industry, there is no scholarly evidence regarding the impact of certification on any important individual- and organizational-level outcomes (e.g., individual's career progression and HR department-level effectiveness). First, we distinguish among certification and licensing. Second, we describe the purported benefits of HR certification. Third, we review the existing literature on perceptions of HR certification; including a survey we conducted with 189 HR professionals. Finally, we present a research agenda, including 14 testable propositions, to guide future scholarly research on HR certification with the goal to gather evidence, which to date is not yet available, regarding the value of HR certification for individual practitioners, organizations, and the HR profession.     

What is the globalisation of inflation?

This paper studies the globalisation of CPI inflation by analysing core, energy and food components, testing for structural breaks in the relationships between domestic inflation and a corresponding country-specific foreign inflation series at the monthly frequency for OECD countries. The iterative methodology employed separates coefficient and variance breaks, while also taking account of outliers. We find that the overall pattern of globalisation in aggregate inflation is largely driven by convergence of the mean levels of the core component from the early 1990s, compatible with the introduction of inflation targeting in many countries of our sample. There is less evidence of increased synchronisation of shortrun movements in core than aggregate inflation, but an increased role for shortrun foreign energy inflation often contributes to the globalisation effect.     

What is an Accountant? An Investigation of Images

Abstract

The purpose of our paper is to identify different images of accountants held by different groups of people and to understand how the different images come about. In doing so, we focus on how accountants are perceived by others as well as how they perceive themselves. Through analysis of 1,794 usable questionnaire responses by university students, newly appointed accountants, and practicing accountants, we find an image close to the beancounter stereotype, and that of a modern professional, with the highest score for success but also for honesty. We also uncover a third image including nuances that are neither favorable nor unfavorable (the plain vanilla accountant), which suggests that the extremes found in cultural representations do not always reflect the real world. In addition, we find that the greater the distance from the profession, the less attractive the image of accountants is and that different sources of influence affect perceptions of accountants. In particular, the public perception of an accountant is less favorable when constructed from media sources. Finally, we add to the existing literature by showing that the self-image of accountants may change over time as experienced practitioners, compared to new hires, exhibit a sort of disillusionment about their professionalism.     

What Factors Affect the Persistence of an Innovation Advantage?

Factors that affect a firm's ability to achieve an advantage may differ from those that affect its ability to sustain that advantage. Moreover, if advantage is a relative concept then studies that relate resource stocks to ‘absolute’ outcomes say little about how resources contribute to enduring differences among firms. We explore these issues in the global semiconductor industry by analyzing how a firm's resource stocks contribute to the persistence of an innovation advantage (a relative outcome). The findings demonstrate that a firm's own production experience and the experience held by its partners contribute to temporary innovation advantages. The results also show that a firm's own production experience yields a more durable innovation advantage as compared to the experience held by a firm's partners and that the experience held by a firm's partners provides a more enduring advantage than a firm's patent stock.     

What is the role of the asking price for a house?

This paper considers the role of the asking price in housing transactions both theoretically and empirically. Significant fractions of housing transactions involve sales prices that are either below or above asking price, which might suggest that asking price has limited relevance. However, many housing transactions involve a sales price exactly equal to asking price (a fact that has previously drawn little notice), strongly suggesting that asking price does matter. The paper develops a model where asking price is neither a binding commitment nor a ceiling, yet still directs buyer search and impacts sales price. Using novel survey data, the paper provides empirical evidence consistent with asking price playing a directing role in buyer search. Consistent with theory, this effect is stronger for more atypical houses and in bust markets.     

What is the meaning of ‘talent’ in the world of work?

The ongoing confusion about the meaning of ‘talent’ within the world of work is hindering the establishment of widely accepted talent management theories and practices. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the literature on talent management by offering an in-depth review of the talent concept within the specific context of the world of work, and proposing a framework for its conceptualization. We group different theoretical approaches to talent into ‘object’ (i.e., talent as natural ability; talent as mastery; talent as commitment; talent as fit) versus ‘subject’ approaches (i.e., talent as all people; talent as some people) and identify dynamics existing within and between them, as well as implications for talent management theory and practice. Finally, we discuss different avenues for further research aimed at developing the talent—and consequently, the talent management—construct further.     

What is the potential impact of a taxation system reform on carbon abatement and industrial growth in China?

Economists have long argued that market-based environmental policy such as an environmental tax is beneficial to abate pollution emissions. This study aims at investigating the impact of carbon tax levy on carbon dioxide (CO₂) abatement and industrial growth in China. To this end, the marginal abatement cost (MAC) of industrial CO₂ emissions is estimated as the benchmark of setting the carbon tax rate by using the directional distance function (DDF). This paper employs the polynomial dynamic panel model to forecast the impact of carbon tax levy on target variables such as sectoral value-added and CO₂ intensity. The results reveal that the levy of a CO₂ tax has a negative impact on industrial output only in the short term. In the long term, the impact of CO₂ tax levy on output will become positive. The levy of a CO₂ tax is always beneficial to reduce CO₂ intensity. Corresponding policy suggestions for an environmental taxation system reform are given in the concluding section.     

What is the role of perceived leadership capacity in presidential politics?

The relevance of leadership models in presidential leadership, and principally the role of perceived leadership in presidential election years, is an area of study with limited development but increasing importance. This study explores the relationship between young voters' leadership assessment of presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, and their reports of voting behavior during the 2008 presidential election. Leadership perceptions were collected from 812 respondents prior to the election. Results indicate that candidate leadership assessments have a significant effect on candidate preference after controlling for the impact of party identification and self‐perceived political efficacy. Further, political efficacy significantly impacted respondents' intent to vote in the election after controlling for these same variables. Party affiliation produced significant differences across the political ideology, leadership ratings, political efficacy, and likelihood of voting variables. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications as they pertain to political leadership.     

Dissimilarity effects on house prices: what is the value of similar neighbours?

Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination - Residential choice does not only depend on properties of the dwelling, neighbourhood amenities and affordability, but is also affected by the...     

What is the environmental performance of firms overseas? An empirical investigation of the global gold mining industry

Using a large plant level data set, this paper carries out an econometric analysis of the environmental performance of multinational firms in the gold mining industry worldwide. The aim of the analysis is to determine if, by looking at the actual environmental performance of firms (as opposed to inferring such behavior from location decisions), we can shed any light on important questions in the literature on firm location decisions: Do pollution havens exist in the gold mining industry? Do foreign controlled gold mines perform environmentally worse or better than their domestic counterparts? We develop different ways of measuring environmental performance within the context of a Bayesian stochastic production frontier approach. In particular, we derive different ways of measuring technical and environmental efficiency. When we implement these methods in our empirical work, we find that results are robust across different models and ways of measuring efficiency. We find that gold mines exhibit a wide range of environmental efficiencies; some are clearly more efficient than others. However, and most importantly for our questions, we find that this variation in efficiencies cannot be systematically related to mine characteristics such as whether they are foreign or domestically controlled or whether they are located in developed versus developing countries.     

Social sustainability in the food value chain: what is and how to adopt an integrative approach?

Quality & Quantity - Despite sustainability is a trending topic in the literature, the analysis of the social dimension in the food industry is almost neglected due to its complexity and the...     

Hybrid value creation: a systematic review of?an?evolving research area

This systematic review analyses literature on the work of hybrid value creation, i.e. the process of generating additional value by innovatively combining products (tangible component) and services (intangible component). A state of the art report on hybrid value creation is delivered by first systematically identifying and then analyzing 169 publications focusing on hybrid value creation. The identified publications are clustered into eight categories based on their links and interactions and thus a mapping of this evolving field is suggested. A discussion and reflection of the findings with respect to the pervasiveness of literature and the research methodologies used is provided. The paper concludes by identifying some dominant strategic gaps in the overall research landscape and provides directions for future research.     

Transparency and inflation: What is the effect on the Brazilian economy?

This paper presents empirical evidence concerning the effect of central bank transparency on inflation considering the Brazilian case after the adoption of inflation targeting. Two indices for measuring transparency, based on forward-looking and backwardlooking views, are developed. Furthermore, empirical evidence is divided into three steps: (i) analysis of simple correlation through scatterplot diagrams; (ii) use of VAR models; and (iii) estimation of different specifications of the Phillips curve using OLS and GMM based on the structural model used by the Central Bank of Brazil (CBB). The findings allow one to conjecture that inflation expectations are well coordinated by the CBB. In short, the transparency of information by the CBB is a very important tool for guiding public expectations and thus contributes to maintain inflation under control.     

What Is the Economic Meaning of FDH?

The central feature of the FDH model is the lack of convexity for its production possibility set, TF. Starting with n observed (distinct) decision making units DMU_k , each defined by an input-output vector p _k = [y _k -x _k], domination is defined by ordinary vector inequalities. DMU_k is said to dominate DMU_j if p _k ≥ p _j , p _k ≠ p _j . The FDH production possibility set TF consists of the observed DMU_j together with all input-output vectors p=[y_k,?x_k] with y ≥ 0, x ≥ 0, y ≠ 0, x ≠ 0 which are dominated by at least one of the observed DMU_j. DMU_k is defined as “FDH efficient” if no DMU_j dominates it. In the BCC (or variable return to scale) DEA model the production possibility set TB consists of the observed DMU_k together with all input-output vectors dominated by any convex combination of them and DMU_k is DEA efficient if it is not dominated by any p in TB. In the DEA model, economic meaning is established by the introduction of (non negative) multiplier (price) vectors w = [u,v]. If DMU_k is undominated (in TB) then there exists a positive multiplier vector w for which (a) w ^T p _k = u ^T y _k ? v ^T x _k ≥ w ^T p for every p ∈ TB. In everyday language, the net return (or profit) for DMU_k relative to the given multiplier vector w is at least as great as that for any production possibility p. On the other hand, if DMU_k is FDH but not DEA efficient then it is proved that there exists no positive multiplier vector >w for which (a) holds, i.e. for any positive w there exists at least one DMU_j for which w ^T p _j > w^T p _k . Since, therefore, FDH efficiency does not guarantee price efficiency what is its economic significance? Without economic significance, how can FDH be considered as being more than a mathematical system however logically soundly it may be conceived?

     

Who is attracted to an organisation using a forced distribution performance management system?

Arguments related to forced distribution systems (FDS) are often dogmatic, but typically do not consider for whom such systems might be most and least appealing. We examine the relationships between participants' individual differences (cognitive ability, collectivism and core self‐evaluations) and their attraction to an organisation utilising an FDS. From a sample of 143 advanced undergraduate students, we found that individuals were more likely to be attracted to an organisation using FDS when they possessed higher levels of cognitive ability and perceived FDS to be fairer. We also found a significant interaction between respondents' collectivism and fairness perceptions of FDS, indicating that individuals who are high in collectivism are particularly sensitive to perceptions of FDS fairness. Implications for organisational practice and future research are discussed.     

What is the joint effect of employee satisfaction and customer orientation on the organizational culture in metalworking manufacturing?

It is a known fact that culture is an important element for the organizations. In this context, a research has been carried out in which the main subject is about to investigate the organizational culture depending on the factors of employee satisfaction and customer orientation in metalworking manufacturing firms. To perform the study, we constructed an original model and conducted research with 578 employees of metalworking organizations. After the data analysis, we determined that organizational culture has positive-significant correlation with employee satisfaction and customer orientation (at the 0.000 level). Additionally, the total explained variance of organizational culture – depending on employee satisfaction and customer orientation – has come out as a satisfying value (0.53). According to the results of our research, we are able to conclude that employee satisfaction and customer orientation has a mid-level effect on creating a substantial organizational culture.