Factors Affecting the Adoption of the Internet in the Public Sector

ABSTRACT

Research in the area of electronic marketing has focused considerable attention on consumers' and advertisers' perceptions of the Internet as a marketing communication medium. Whilst such research has been undertaken mostly in the private sector, it is important to recognize, and attempt to understand, the growing number of public sector organizations that have an Internet presence. Results of a study of the perceptions of managers in public sector organizations of the Internet as a marketing communication tool are reported. Findings suggest that decision makers in the public sector who feel that there is a need for their organizations to have an Internet presence, are more inclined to adopt the Internet as part of their marketing communications program. Furthermore, they are more likely to feel that use of the Internet will improve their overall marketing effectiveness. It is also interesting to note that the perceived complexity of using the Internet has a significant effect on both the adoption of and attitude towards the Internet as a marketing communications tool. This suggests that there is still some uncertainty amongst public sector organizations as to the usefulness of the Internet in marketing their services.     

Possible Ethical Implications in the Deployment of the EFQM Excellence Model

It may be quite rightly stated that the EFQM Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management is the basic reference model for those organisations whose aim is to achieve excellence. It offers an integral and integrating approach to the most relevant dimensions of the reality of the organisation and permits the establishment of framework that is both objective and rigorous and based on a structured diagnosis.The EFQM Excellence Model is based on a humanist approach that situates the client (in all aspects/senses) as the centre and ultimate reason of the activity of the organisation, emphasizing the role of the latter as a responsible member of the community. An ethical approach is therefore adopted as the best way to serve the long-term interest of the organisation and the people that integrate it (as well as their sustainability in time), exceeding expectations and the policy of society in general.This article analyses in depth, and from the point of view of ethics (one of the key aspects in the search for excellence), the possible ethical implications in the deployment of the nine basic criteria of the EFM Excellence Model which facilitate the understanding of the most relevant dimensions of the reality of an organisation.     

On the Importance of National Culture for the Design of Information Systems

In this contribution a literature review is conducted to illustrate how national culture influences phases of the design of information systems. For this purpose, we review the literature in order to identify reliable and commonly approved findings as well as still open remaining questions. Fundamentally, our literature review is a comprehensive framework that sets typical dimensions of system design as well as main types of cultural research in relation to each other. The existing research results in the area of national culture are classified along the levels of system design and attributed to typical phases of the design of information systems. It thus becomes apparent that in the domain of culture and information system design it is often only the design subject or the design object that is addressed. Contributions that connect both levels rarely exist. In our review, only a limited number of publications could be identified that covered concrete phases of the development providing system design, implementation, as well as verification and validation. From a theoretical perspective, there is an obvious dominance of Hofstede??s cultural dimensions that well address single topics of the design, such as user interface and inter cultural problems in development teams. Other domains, however (e.g., technology and architecture), are inadequately explained. Further, a predominantly phenomenological focus becomes obvious. The observed cultural phenomena and the connected interpretations are usable in a limited way for concrete development initiatives. The contribution ends with the vision of a theory for the culturally sensitive design of socio-technical information systems that absorbs current scientific knowledge and unites it in a structured approach.     

浅析东亚多层次合作现状及趋向

东亚地区的经贸合作存在多层次性，但从长期来看，这些多层次合作将归于东亚自由贸易区。这不仅由世界经济一体化的趋势决定，更是东亚各国经济发展的需要。在朝向自由贸易区的进程中，东亚各国要目标一致，在借鉴其他区域组织成功经验的同时，设计适合自身的合作框架。     

Doing good and doing business at the bottom of the pyramid

There is an ongoing debate among scholars regarding the existence of a fortune at the bottom of the income pyramid. While some scholars argue that there is a profitable market at the pyramid base, others refute this proposition, arguing that targeting poor people as customers could lead to unethical business practices and further their exploitation. With the aid of mini cases, this article explains that there is indeed a fortune to be made at the base of the pyramid but that good fortune can be created for both corporations and poor people if the population at the bottom of the pyramid is treated as suppliers, producers, co-owners, and/or employees rather than as mere consumers. However, in terms of consumers, there is a market for firms at the base of the pyramid through which they can earn profits and simultaneously help eradicate poverty, mainly by lowering the cost structure for poor people. In other words, firms that can reduce poverty and provide cost-effective utilitarian goods and services to poor people have more to gain from such individuals than those firms that provide more luxurious goods and services or offer goods with mere aesthetic or emotional value. With the help of mini cases, this article explains four measures firms can use to create fortunes for themselves as well as for poor customers by avoiding affordability and adaptability traps.     

Change: the name of the game.

The purpose of this article is to argue that the game of management involves dealing fundamentally with the element of change and that the key to winning the game is to keep it as simple as possible. The author divides change into four basic categories: 1) Planned Past Change, where everything went as expected; 2) Unplanned Past Change, where something happened that was not anticipated; 3) Planned Future Change, meaning indications show that some action should be taken; and 4) Unplanned Future Change, where the possibility of the unplanned exists. He feels that managing tools exist to deal specifically with the last three types of change, and they are useful only to the extent that they simplify the tasks of management. The author says, "So much of what we call management research consists in making it difficult for managers to manage. Keep it simple, keep the change in perspective."     

Engaging the commodified face: the use of marketing in the child adoption process

This paper evaluates the ethical consequences of the use of marketing techniques in the child adoption process within England and Wales. Since 1995 the political climate in the UK has seen a reassessment of the manner in which the state organises care for children who are within its legal guardianship. Successive UK governments have acknowledged the under‐utilisation of child adoption as a moral and efficient means of child‐care. However, the presentation of child adoption in a more active fashion involves concerns about the manner in which child adoption has been organised. Increasingly child adoption organisations and social work professionals are being made accountable through the language of customer service and performance measurements. The use of commercial techniques such as marketing is justified on utilitarian grounds. However, any utilisation of marketing within the child adoption process is forced to ensure that the child is not de‐centred. Legislation requires that the needs and welfare of the child are the first consideration for the adoption agency. Here we begin to see tensions between the humanitarian project that is child adoption, and the unease produced by viewing the child as human ‘product’. This invites analysis via critical theory. The use of marketing in child adoption raises issues related to the objectification and commodification of the child and prospective adopters. Within child adoption it is assumed that we must engage with the child as ‘face’ (Bauman, 1995). But will these assumptions stand the encroachment of marketing techniques into this very sensitive area?     

Citizens of the Future: Beyond Normative Conditions through the Emergence of Desirable Collective Properties

In this paper I explore the influence of an organisation's structure, such as that of the National Education System, in the emergence of desirable social properties. In this case the concern is schools with adequate performance. It is assumed that there is a circular causality between structure and the social results of schools. I highlight some of the structural requirements to have justice, sense of belonging, trust, honesty and cooperation as emerging properties of these schools, beyond normative statements. These are requirements for effective citizenship. In order to study this, it is necessary to observe the structures that constitute collectives into organisations. Central to this paper is a case study that I carried out at Millfield Primary School in the U.K., which focused on the observation of citizenship as a dynamic process permanently being constructed. This case went beyond the normative understanding of citizenship as established in the new school curriculum to be implemented from September 2002. I take the view that the aim of citizenship is to build up a community in which one is constituted as a citizen. For that purpose we need enabling people to build up their own communities. My conclusion from this case study suggests that current educational methodologies aim at teaching a "model of" citizenship rather than at providing the necessary tools to think about and create suitable spaces "for" citizenship. The case study shows that it is necessary to reinforce in schools practical methods to create membership and respect for others.     

Effects of Family Socialization in the Organizational Commitment of the Family Firms from the Moral Economy Perspective

South Korean industrial conglomerates (chaebols) are discussed in the context of value-based management (VBM). Recent economics and finance literature on the diversion of corporate resources from the firm to the controlling shareholders (tunneling), for which chaebols are notoriously known, is discussed. Chaebols have engaged in empire building and expropriation of minority shareholders, distorting the process of efficient resource allocation in South Korea, and became the root cause of the 1997 financial crisis. We argue that the 1997 crisis should be viewed as a consequence of chaebols’ systematic deviation from the guiding principles of VBM. We use tunneling within chaebols as an example of the need to directly address prohibition of the expropriation of minority shareholders as a primary postulate of VBM. We argue that VBM should require that the value generated by the firm not be expropriated from minorities, or any stakeholders, by dominant shareholders. We also examine moral and ethical considerations and present explanations as to why the unethical practice of tunneling has been tolerated by the South Korean public. We show that public opinion on tunneling is changing and that the treatment of minority shareholders by chaebols’ controlling families is becoming increasingly unacceptable to South Koreans.     

上海合作组织框架下中国与中亚国家经济合作

摘要：随着中亚局势的变化和中美俄三国均衡的消长,地区安全合作与区域经济合作并重将演化为上海合作组织多边框架存在的根本理由。中俄主导的上海合作组织应正视诸多变化,适时调整上海合作组织定位,将经济合作置于地区安全同等重要位置,在上海合作组织框架下积极拓展中国与中亚国家以及俄罗斯的经济合作,这将为这一地区带来和平和希望。     

明确农村土地所有权主体三题

本文认为,确认农村集体土地所有权是目前我国农民最关心、最直接、最现实的利益问题。农村集体土地所有权主体确认是一个重要的理论和实践问题,需要综合考虑我国农村土地制度的历史沿革、时代特征、公平与效率、当代农民对土地的根本要求以及意识形态观念等诸种因素的影响。农村集体土地所有权应该确认给农民,这主要有五个方面的依据,即历史依据、效率依据、公平依据、现实依据和意识形态依据。文章提出,没有抽象的社会主义集体土地所有制,只有具体的社会主义集体土地所有制。将农村集体土地所有权确认给农民,并以"土地所有权证券化 土地经营权家庭化"作为农村集体土地所有制的有效实现形式,在实践上将给家庭联产承包经营模式注入新的活力,推动其进一步完善,促进农业生产力的发展;在理论上将对社会主义市场经济条件下马克思主义农业合作化理论的进一步发展作出新的贡献。     

Privacy, the Workplace and the Internet

This paper examines workplace surveillance and monitoring. It is argued that privacy is a moral right, and while such surveillance and monitoring can be justified in some circumstances, there is a presumption against the infringement of privacy. An account of privacy precedes consideration of various arguments frequently given for the surveillance and monitoring of employees, arguments which look at the benefits, or supposed benefits, to employees as well as to employers. The paper examines the general monitoring of work, and the monitoring of email, listservers and the World Wide Web. It is argued that many of the common justifications given for this surveillance and monitoring do not stand up to close scrutiny.     

Frank Chou, Delivers the Best Fragrance to the World

Frank Chou is the Chairman of Australian China Group Development Pty Ltd that has direct or indirect investments in many businesses which subsidiaries such as Evershine Australia Trading （exclusive importer of Mao-tai in Asia Pacific countries）, Handpicked Wines International Pty Ltd and Two Fights （Australia） Pty Ltd （world farnous wine producers）. By looking at the dyna- mitic Frank, one could hardly believe that Frank is over 70 as he is just so dynamic and animated all the time; he is sharp, thinks quickly, and moves fast. He does not like to waste time and once said ＂Every second of my life counts. 1 will not rest until my last breath＂, This is the same energy he devoted to developing his passion for wine.     

发挥比较优势与山西中小企业发展战略理念

本文认为,比较优势作为一种动态的、多元化的优势,对山西中小企业战略的制定具有重要意义。以比较优势为原则,有利于山西中小企业发展战略的制定;以比较优势作指导,有利于山西中小企业准确地进行战略定位;以比较优势为前提,有利于山西中小企业的战略管理。文章提出,山西省发挥中小企业比较优势,必须解放思想,更新观念,增强战略意识,树立比较优势战略理念;加强宣传,营造氛围,提升比较优势战略理念;进行政策引导,政府帮助,促使中小企业用比较优势的思维去谋划发展。     

Problems and challenges facing the islamic banking system in the west: The case of the UK

This study investigates the main problems, challenges, and opportunities facing Islamic banking in the United Kingdom. The study reports the results of interviews that were undertaken with senior officials of several key financial institutions who have had many years of experience in dealing with Islamic banking. Our interviews revealed that, although by strict definition Islamic banks do not currently exist in the UK, London is one of the major centers for Islamic banking and finance. It is apparent that the experience of previously established Islamic institutions, such as Al‐Baraka, has made other institutions realize that it is possible to provide Islamic banking services in the UK under nonbanking regulations. The interviews also revealed that the main problem that Islamic banking faces in the UK is heterogeneous clients and potential clients. Moreover, regulatory hurdles, competition from conventional banks, and lack of adequately qualified and trained personnel exacerbate the situation. The study concludes by identifying opportunities such as e‐banking that may have a significant impact on the future of Islamic banking in the UK. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Interdependence between consumption in the North and sustainable communities in the South

The issues we want to address and discuss in this article are related to the interdependence between consumption in households in high‐income countries and life in the low‐income countries, seen in a sustainable perspective. In the consumer society the underlying premise is that ever‐escalating consumption is accepted, even desirable. During the past decade, an increasing critique of consumer lifestyle has come from environmentalists, who argue that the resource use to maintain a consumer lifestyle is putting too hard a burden on the ecosystems. We give examples of the abundant evidence of interdependence between North and South at global levels, such as climate change and appropriation of ecosystem capacities, and related to specific types of consumption such as clothing, flowers, food and cosmetics. We argue that the loss of feedback to individual households in the North is a serious barrier for change towards more sustainable consumption habits, and raise a question about how impacts of production and consumption can be communicated to consumers. On the basis of previous and ongoing research, we highlight some impacts of positive and negative labelling schemes as well as extended environmental information.     

On the Characterisation of the World Real Interest Rate

This paper characterises the world real interest rate as a common trend in real interest rates in Germany, Japan, and the United States even if there is scepticism in the existence of the world real interest. In theoretical terms, real interest parity is based on the presumed validity of uncovered interest parity and purchasing power parity, but the empirical evidence of these parity conditions is not strong and thus the presence of the world real interest rate. The significance of this paper is, therefore, to visualise the current level of international economic integration by characterising the approximate world real interest rate as a single common trend, taking full advantage of the fact that real interest rates in three large open economies have been moving together sharing a common component even if their levels are distinctively different. This single common trend has desirable properties as the world real interest rate. First, it is a parsimonious and monotonically increasing function of the real interest rates in three large open economies that can be world price or interest rate maker, in contrast with small open economies. Second, it is moving together with national real interest rates one for one. Hence, the deviations from the world rate are temporary because common trend represents the common driving force of national rates over the long run period. Third, it can explain as high a proportion as possible of the variances of national rates.     

Profit and More: Catholic Social Teaching and the Purpose of the Firm

The empirical findings in Collins and Porras' study of visionary companies, Built to Last, and the normative claims about the purpose of the business firm in Centesimus Annus are found to be complementary in understanding the purpose of the business firm. A summary of the methodology and findings of Built to Lastand a short overview of Catholic Social Teaching are provided. It is shown that Centesimus Annus' claim that the purpose of the firm is broader than just profit is consistent with Collins and Porras empirical finding that firms which set a broader objective tend to be more successful than those which pursue only the maximization of profits. It is noted however that a related finding in Collins and Porras, namely that the content of the firm's objective is not as important as internalizing some objective beyond just profit maximization, can lead to ethical myopia. Two examples are provided of this: the Walt Disney Company and Philip Morris. Centesimus Annus offers a way to expose such myopia, by providing guidance as to what the purpose of the firm is, and therefore as to what kinds of objectives are appropriate to the firm.     

论西部地区招商引资的"三大障碍"--兼论投资大环境改善战略

西部地区招商引资现实不容乐观。不仅引资的绝对数量和相对地位没有显著的变化,而且域外资本在区位和行业选择上严重不平衡。高空间交易成本、产业集聚发育不良、市场化程度低等,是目前西部地区招商引资面临的“三大障碍”。基于主要障碍的认识,文章就中央政府政策层次上需要考虑的西部投资大环境改善问题提出了若干建议。     

Epicureanism and the poetics of consumption

Consumption, ‘to use up, to destroy’, is a dirty word. It conjures piles of rubbish; it suggests an extravagant attitude. We, each one of us hoping to be a unique, careful individual, can feel offended at being referred to as ‘the consumer’. Yet, ‘to consume’ is not only a human activity, it is one of the fundamental processes of nature, a natural aspect of the creative process. In this paper, I will emphasize connections between the creative research process, poetics and consumerism. I suggest that research can be envisioned as a cycle of consumption and renewal. Our tools in such a natural philosophy are the contemplation of natural events, and the insights that a poetic understanding of language can give us. To this end, I draw on the ancient Epicurean philosophy, as demonstrated in De rerum natura, written by the Roman poet, Lucretius, in the first century BCE. Lucretius gave a scientific explanation of the universe, in poetry, to demonstrate that natural laws can be derived by reason, contemplation and by the use of the senses. Further, Lucretius' use of language, as a creative medium, modelled the actions of the universe. This insight provides a link between poetry, science and research, one which is still relevant to twenty‐first‐century scientific research generally. In this paper, I will suggest that it is also specifically relevant to the design and practice of consumer research. For instance, both research and creativity are aspects of that urge to move beyond subjectivity, towards knowledge that is whole and shared. In Epicureanism, subjective engagement provides access to that which is universal. We can conceive of consumerism, and of consumer research, in the same terms, as a striving for completion, and as a poetic, natural and reciprocal act, involving the transformation of the consumer, and that which is consumed.