Salespeople satisfaction and performance feedback

A model of the relationship between sales supervision and salesforce job satisfaction is developed and tested. The model hypothesizes that salespeople will experience greater job satisfaction when they receive more performance feedback and more opportunity to participate in their supervisor's decision making processes and when they have supervisors who are high on consideration and initiation of structure. In addition, because of recent empirical evidence suggesting a possible consideration/initiation of structure interaction effect on job satisfaction, a hypothesized interaction effect was examined in this study. The results suggest that performance feedback is an important predictor of job satisfaction. Furthermore, they indicate that the sales supervisor's consideration and initiation of structure are related to the salesperson's satisfaction with certain aspects of the job. Participation and consideration/initiation of structure interaction were not found to be significant predictors of salesforce job satisfaction.     

Communications and information resources in Canada

The author details Canada's efforts to maintain unity and national economic and cultural identity through its communication and information resources. The country's dependence on the USA is stressed. Computer communications, broadcasting and publishing industries, telephone and satellite communications, and research and development are covered and several Canadian innovations are introduced. It is concluded that, with appropriate action, Canadian communications and information resources could be used to strengthen national sovereignty.     

International comparisons of common carrier rates and efficiency: The quest for objectivity

There have been few reliable comparisons of different countries' telephone rates, and fewer of the efficiency of their national common carriers. Yet such comparisons are needed if governments and others are to have objective yardsticks by which to judge the carriers' performance. The author reviews several of the more accurate comparative techniques now used in Europe, where the lack of effective control over public sector monopolies is becoming a major political issue in certain countries.     

Education's stake in communications policy

The interfaces between educational policy and communications policy are often of greater and more lasting significance than the scant attention they usually receive would seem to indicate. In the USA, some of the leading non-governmental associations in education have, for more than twenty five years, participated in a consortium whose mission is to bridge that gap and to assist the educational community to contribute to, and participate in, the process of formulating communications policy.     

The UK telecommunications monopoly: An independent view

The author assesses how much of the UK Post Office monopoly is ‘natural’, and how much is purely statutory and could be replaced by conditions of free and open competition. He also considers the historical reasons behind the PO's purely statutory monopolies, and the extent to which they remain desirable from the point of view of the public interest at a time of rapid technological change. Finally, he examines the implications for the health of the European computer, telecommunications and electronic industries of the growing divergence between European leased communications line costs and costs in North America.     

Communicating through computers: Impact on a small business group

A case study of the use and impacts of the NLS computer message system was performed by the Business Planning Group of Bell Canada. The author presents the results of the study, and compares the Group's findings with existing research on computer- mediated communications systems. Preliminary conclusions are drawn concerning the impact of such systems on the work habits of user groups.     

Communications programme in Montreal

The Graduate Studies Faculty of the University of Montreal offers a programme of study in communications, leading to an MSc degree. The Master's programme addresses two main objectives: first, the scientific analysis of the forms and contents of the new media and of the transformations they have brought about in interpersonal relations, within organizations, and within society as a whole; and second, the development of a general theory of communications.     

Plant breeders' rights and international agricultural research

Enactment of plant breeders' rights legislation has recently been a contentious political issue in several countries. An economic perspective to the issue is presented through consideration of the structure of the plant breeding and seed industries. A theoretical account is given of the probable economic effects of plant breeders' rights legislation in developing countries. Aspects which might be usefully considered when examining whether a particular developing country should enact plant breeders' rights legislation are also discussed. Finally, general issues faced by the international agricultural research centres with respect to plant breeders' rights are also outlined and some particular issues discussed.     

Communications and telecommunications: Integrated approaches to communications planning

The author argues for an integrated approach to the formulation of communication policies. He suggests that the term ‘communication planning’ signals changes in attitudes to planning in general, breaking through the boundaries of technical or quantitative exclusivity into a broader, more interdisciplinary approach. After describing the main characteristics of the integrated approach, he examines the Unesco Afghanistan survey as an example of recent work on the methodology of overall communication system planning. The author then discusses the issue of technology transfer in the context of communications, and concludes with an analysis of the trend towards the international coordination of planning approaches.     

EUTELSAT's regional role

Interim EUTELSAT was established in 1977 as the provisional organization for the operation of commercial satellite telecommunications systems for the European region. EUTELSAT's definitive statute is expected to come into force at the beginning of 1984. This article looks at the objectives of EUTELSAT and considers the organization's role as a regional operator within the context of a global satellite communications system.     

Telecommunications for development — an addendum

Further comments on the debate concerning the use of telecommunications for development, in response to John H. Clippinger's article ‘Can communications development benefit the Third World?’     

Sales management control and job performance

A national firm's salespeoples' perceptions of their management control system were related to their performance and satisfaction. Salespeople who perceived job goal clarity, control over their work, and job rewards as being based upon performance were found to be relatively higher performers and better satisfied with their job.     

Olive oil in the EC: Gift from the gods or Trojan Horse

The European Commission fears huge olive oil surpluses as a result of Spain's accession to the Community. It believes it can prevent this, at great cost, by increasing consumer aid for olive oil and adopting a protectionist policy towards other vegetable oils and fats. Thus, the burden would be shifted to consumers of other products and the outside world. Trade relations would suffer. The author considers that the Commission's analysis is unfounded and the Commission's remedies should be questioned. The author also points to possible budgetary savings in the Community's expenditure on olive oil.     

Diffusion of mobile telephony: Analysis of determinants in Cameroon

This paper explores the diffusion of mobile telephone technology in Cameroon by identifying and analyzing the determinants of this diffusion. Studying the diffusion of mobile communications in African countries by integrating them into panels of developing countries is problematic. This approach is likely to mask the intrinsic differences as concerns the diffusion process. This survey shows, through the estimation of an S-shaped growth curve, that the Logistic model best describes the diffusion of mobile phone technology in Cameroon. Income, openness to competition and the use of SMS are key forces driving this diffusion. Forecasts indicate an increase of almost 70% in the demand by 2026 as far as mobile phone use in Cameroon is concerned. This implies not only an improvement in operators' and State's revenues, but also, the need to invest in infrastructures. Our recommendation therefore calls for a greater liberalization of the mobile phone market in Cameroon. In addition, given the complementary relationship between the core and the mobile networks, infrastructural investments are also needed in both sectors.     

Bundling communications policy for the new US administration

The USA does not have a coherent framework for communications policy. The author sets out what should be the prime concerns of a communications policy aimed at serving a pluralistic society in an ‘electronic age’. She describes the current situation, in which responsibilities for communications are divided over a wide range of government organisations. The Communications Act of 1934 is under review, and the author focuses on major aspects of the debate, and lists suitable areas for government involvement. She concludes by stressing the need for the new US administration to provide a coherent structure for communications policy making to encourage the essential free flow of information.     

Implementation of food distribution policies: A case study in South India

Public policy for foodgrains distribution and consumption in Coimbatore District of South India involves processing through state trading institutions, and distribution through fair price shops, Food for Work and Employment Guarantee Schemes. Policies are evaluated in terms of their objectives, and institutions for the implementation of policy are analysed in terms of the way in which they mobilize and distribute resources: foodgrains, capital and labour. Although this deficit district has captured shares of Tamil Nadu State's publicly distributed grain which are disproportionate to its share of the state's ‘vulnerable’ population, nevertheless, schemes to increase the latter's foodgrain consumption have been patchily implemented over space and time, and they have had little measurable impact on intended beneficiaries.     

The orbit-spectrum resource: Market allocation of international property

The author presents a formulation of a market system for the allocation of orbital space to geosynchronous communications satellites. Although based on a simplified model of satellite communications systems, the market system retains sufficient flexibility to be applicable to the allocation problems of the next two decades. Ultimately, the usage rights put forward in this article may need to be modified to include explicitly additional aspects of the orbital-spectrum resource. This formulation, however, includes in the definition of the usage right most of the information actually used today in picking an orbital location for a satellite.     

Teledemocracy from the top

Teledemocracy, the use of new communications and information technology to widen the scope of the public's political participation, is a hot topic. Over the past few years a number of wide-scale teledemocratic experiments have taken place, for example in New Zealand, the State of Washington, and Hawaii, and the idea is being increasingly discussed in the scholarly as well as popular literature.¹ The reasoning behind, and justification for, teledemocracy has been expounded before.² This Comment, however, attacks the problem from a new perspective - where do politicians fit into such a system, and why should they nurture its development?     

US food stamp policy — political considerations

The author analyses the political factors which influence reform of the US food stamp programme. After discussing the reasons for the failure of the Ford Administration's proposals he examines the Carter Administration's efforts and discusses future alternatives to the food stamp programme.     

SAM — a baby with many faces

In the last issue of Food Policy, two articles appeared on the subject of the Mexican Food System, or the Sistema Alimenticio Mexicano (SAM). The first article by Frank Meissner¹ reviewed the background to SAM, the proposed strategies, intended targets, its funding and put forward a strong case for considering SAM as a constructive policy for alleviating Mexico's food and nutrition problems. However, Michael Redclift commented in his article that:² ‘There are three principal points to be made of Dr Meissner's article: its interpretation of Mexico's recent agrarian development is questionable; it does not distinguish between the analysis provided in the SAM documents and the policy measures to which they give rise; and, it glosses over serious problems of implementation, giving too little weight to the participatory element without which SAM is doomed to failure’. This rejoinder is Frank Meissner's response to Michael Redclift's comments.