Information systems project management decision making: The influence of experience and risk propensity

Managing information systems (IS) projects is a notoriously difficult task. The project manager is a crucial player in a successful IS development project. This research examines how a project manager's prior experience and risk propensity influence his or her decision making. An experiment was conducted that showed that both experience and risk propensity have significant influence on the decisions made.     

An analysis of firm-level innovation strategies in the US biotechnology industry

This study examines factors that may affect innovation strategies and performance of firms in the biotechnology industry. Specifically, differences between factors common to firms with high R&D intensity and those to firms with low R&D intensity are investigated. Biotechnology firms with relatively higher levels of R&D intensity attribute their innovation performance to research-based innovation factors and strategies such as strengthening their own research capabilities, entering into research collaborations with universities, industry leaders and other biotech firms, and licensing their technology. These strategies can be summarized as alignment within the industry. Firms with relatively lower R&D intensity have a hybrid focus—they invest in R&D but may also have products on the market. These firms attribute their innovation performance more so to production-based innovation factors and strategies such as gaining market access and maintaining connections with customers. Their strategy focuses on competitiveness, marketing, and distribution channels, while not ignoring the importance of a strong research base and the need to advance technologically. In a sense, strategies employed to achieve successful innovation reflect the stage of innovation in which a firm is operating for a particular product or process.     

Collective strategies for improving environmental performance: A case study of the biotechnology industry

This paper examines the potential contributions of institutional theory and the collective strategies framework to assist managers in emerging industries in developing better means of addressing societal concerns. Lack of understanding and difficulties in communication between companies in the forefront of new technology developments and a society that is concerned about the environment have led to many of the problems facing the biotechnology industry. Measures intended to protect the environment from potential adverse effects have frequently restricted activities in the new biotechnology field, even though scientists are themselves convinced of the safety and control they exert over their new technologies. Collective strategies can be instrumental in stabilising certain aspects of the environment. Proper selection of issues and coordinated action can be helpful to all industry participants by informing public perceptions and government regulations and help insure that major environmental trends will evolve in a manner beneficial to all concerned.     

Impact investing in biodiversity conservation with bonds: An analysis of financial and environmental risk

Impact investments have the dual goals of generating profit and environmental and/or social impact from the same project or enterprise. This article examines recent impact investments in biodiversity conservation—specifically, debt finance in the form of conventional bonds and impact bonds. The proceeds of these bonds finance projects aiming to enhance forest management, sustainable agriculture, endangered species protection, ecosystem service provision, and nature-based solutions to climate change such as REDD+. The article scrutinises whether these dual goals are achievable by evaluating the financial risks and impact risks within each bond's theory of change. Risks stem from projects with vague cashflow forecasts, project sites with low or ambiguous threat statuses, and simplified impact metrics that may measure activities or outputs—rather than impact. Risk mitigation strategies involve using baselines and counterfactuals to establish additionality, and guarantors to protect investors if revenues are insufficient. Implications for biodiversity management and for-profit conservation are discussed.     

Management practices and strategies to accelerate the innovation cycle in the biotechnology industry

This paper examines management practices and strategies that are critical to successful commercialisation in the biomedical sector and how these practices and strategies impact upon performance innovation. The paper also details emerging issues and challenges for the biotechnology industry including human resource issues, access to venture capital, the development of basic business capabilities, and efficient and stable supply chain linkages.The research findings are based on data obtained from an action research methodology where 14 representatives of the biomedical sector were active participants. The qualitative data was analysed using a multiple cross-case analysis technique that explores the underpinning determinants of performance innovation in the industry. The research study identifies high-performance work practices and critical success factors to accelerate the ‘Innovation Cycle’ from idea to market. The paper concludes that managers in the biomedical industry need to acquire new business acumen skills to maintain a competitive advantage in a fiercely competitive global market. Organisations are recognising that knowledge workers with the requisite skills and expertise are critical to improving innovation performance.     

The influence of managerial satisfaction on corporate environmental performance and reputation

Organizational studies have widely debated the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance. Some papers have dealt with managerial satisfaction and businesses' performance adopting agency theory to interpret the results. However, no studies have yet considered the relationship between the satisfaction levels of an environmental manager and corporate environmental performance. This paper thus analyses the role played by the environmental manager's satisfaction in enhancing corporate environmental performance and reputation. The paper uses data from a survey of 412 Eco Management and Audit Scheme registered organizations. The results show a positive relationship between managerial satisfaction and environmental performance, whereas no such positive relationship was found when considering eco‐innovation performance. In addition, the environmental manager's satisfaction has a positive and indirect influence on the corporate environmental reputation. These results contribute to the literature on agency theory and aim to extend the debate between job satisfaction and job performance to the sustainable business field.     

Strategic risk behaviour and its temporalities: between risk propensity and decision context

What are the determinants of strategic risk behaviour? Are they the dispositional characteristics of decision makers or the situational constraints? Or both? The empirical evidence is on all sides. We believe the issue has not been satisfactorily resolved so far because of the continued neglect of the fundamental role of time in risk behaviour. Given that risk is embedded in time, we need to recognize two critical aspects of the temporal dimension. The first is concerned with risk horizons, as in short‐range and long‐range risk horizons. The second temporal aspect relates to individual future orientations of the top managers, as in near‐future and distant‐future orientations. We propose in this article a temporal framework of strategic risk behaviour in which the two temporalities are integrated with risk propensity and perceived decision context. We then develop, based on this temporal framework, the contingent answers for the relative roles of dispositional characteristics and situational constraints in determining strategic risk behaviour.     

Managerial perceptions of corporate environmentalism: interpretations from industry and strategic implications for organizations

Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important in organization theory and practice. Corporate environmentalism is emerging as a process of addressing environmental issues facing business firms. In this paper I examine managerial perceptions of corporate environmentalism and describes how key organizational members interpret the relationship between their firm and the biophysical environment. Corporate environmental orientation and environmental strategy focus are two themes of corporate environmentalism that emerge from the study. I discuss managerial perceptions of regulatory forces, public environmental concern, top management commitment and need for competitive advantage, and how perceptions of these factors might translate into environmental strategies. I conclude by discussing implications of corporate environmentalism for organizational theory and practice.     

Supplier satisfaction and commitment: The role of influence strategies and supplier development

Although considerable research is dedicated to influence strategies and supplier development, a lack of empirical support exists of their effects on supplier satisfaction and commitment. This exploratory study aims to fill this gap by investigating first-tier suppliers in the German automotive industry. Supplier reactions to three different influence strategies and two types of supplier development efforts are examined. Results indicate that supplier commitment is affected by the use of promises and both human- and capital-specific supplier development, while supplier satisfaction is affected by indirect, other direct influence strategies and capital-specific supplier development.     

Returns to acquiring firms: The role of managerial ownership, managerial wealth, and outside owners

Since merger and acquisition activity does not unambiguously benefit the shareholders of acquiring firms, the motivation of managers who undertake such actions is unclear. The present study investigates the extent to which the wealth effects of acquisition activity undertaken by firms in one industry—communications and publishing—are related to (1) the ownership and wealth characteristics of both the executives and the board of directors of these firms and (2) the ownership concentration of large outside shareholders. The motivating hypothesis, supported by empirical results, is that these factors contribute to the alignment of executive and shareholder interests.     

The use of coercive influence strategies by dominant suppliers

This paper examines a range of coercive strategies used by dominant suppliers in both gas and electricity utility markets serving the Netherlands. The conditions are explored under which specific influence strategies are utilized. A dyadic-based interview approach generated several new insights. Contrary to prevailing views in the literature, our study indicates that dominant suppliers are not concerned about the negative effects of coercive strategies. We observe that dominant suppliers use a succession of influence strategies, which they consider effective in achieving compliance and cooperation from buyers. Dominant suppliers only recognize compliance or non-compliance of buyers to the use of coercive influence strategies, whereas buyers emphasize that they also show partial and delayed compliance. Recommendations for buyers and suppliers and suggestions for further research are provided.     

The impact of market and industry risk on family succession

This study investigates the succession decision of family firms in connection with the risk environment faced by the firm. Succession itself can rightly be considered a risk event due to managerial uncertainty. This uncertainty coupled with a high risk operating environment magnifies the critical importance of making a correct succession decision. In this paper, the primary focus is on how market and industry risk influence the selection of either a family member or a family external professional as the successor, and how this decision impacts post-succession firm performance. Our sample is comprised of 383 succession events in Taiwanese listed companies over a twenty-year period (1997–2016). Using industrial profitability risk and systematic risk as the risk measures, we find that firms operating in a high-risk environment tend to employ a non-family member as the successor which on average leads to superior post-succession performance compared to firms that choose a family member as the successor. This result particularly holds when the non-family successor is able to successfully reduce firm-level risk. Overall, our results demonstrate that the risk condition of a firm is an important determinant of the succession decision of family firms, and that a non-family successor is more competent in managing a high-risk operating environment.     

Human resource strategies and contingent workers: The case of safety and health in the petrochemical industry

One of the most important economic developments in recent years is the growth in the number of temporary and contract employees. Little is known, however, about the implications these contingent employees have for human resource practices. This paper presents the results of a study of one group of contingent workers, contract workers in the petrochemical industry. The primary concern of this study is the consequences contract workers have for safety, a hotly debated and politically charged issue in an industry where safety mishaps can have catastrophic consequences. We find that contract employees offer petrochemical firms an important degree of flexibility in meeting rapid fluctuations in their demand for labor. Contract employment relationships also create stresses with potentially severe adverse effects on workplace safety. Overcoming these threats to safety while maintaining flexibility will require a high level of coordination among human resource professionals, line managers, corporate executives, unions, and government agencies.     

Asset-light strategy,managerial ability,and corporate performance of the Asian telecommunications industry

This paper examines the effects of asset-light strategy on the corporate performance of listed Asian telecommunications corporations and the moderating effect of managerial ability on the association between asset-light strategy and corporate performance. The study applies the dynamic slacks-based measure (DSBM) model and Tobit regression to measure managerial ability. The empirical results show that asset-light strategy positively affects corporate performance and that managerial ability has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the degree of asset-lightness (DAL) and corporate performance. The findings further show that the greater the managerial ability, the stronger the relationship between DAL and corporate performance.     

营运资本管理行业差异及其影响因素

本文以2003～2005年沪深两市的所有A股上市公司作为研究样本,进行非参数检验,并建立固定效应模型,力图找出影响我国上市公司各个行业营运资本管理的因素,为我国上市公司的营运资本管理提供借鉴.     

流动青少年犯罪:生存风险与环境风险的影响——城市流动青少年犯罪状况调查

在实证调查的基础上,描述了一组具有代表性的流动青少年的犯罪状况。比较了他们流动前后的几个因素的突出变化,并从风险理论的视角,将这些社会因素界定为一种生存风险和环境风险。进一步分析了这些新的环境风险给流动青少年生存带来的损失与破坏,并据此提出了针对流动青少年的社会管理创新展望。     

Accounting methods and managerial discretion: The case of dollar-value LIFO

This paper focuses on inconsistencies in cost-flow behavior associated with the use of dollarvalue LIFO. These inconsistencies can lead to confusing inventory valuations, potentially misleading accounting reports, incorrect purchasing decisions, and unanticipated tax results. Understanding these effects will enhance the use of dollar-value LIFO as a management tool and will improve the interpretation of financial accounting information. With dollar-value LIFO for multiple items, much of the conventional wisdom about LIFO vanishes. The relationships among inventory purchases, inventory liquidations, and gross margin are derived.     

Organizational learning and compensation strategies: Evidence from the Spanish chemical industry

This study explores the role of compensation strategies in promoting organizational learning capability. By analyzing a sample of 111 Spanish firms from the chemical industry, we highlight how compensation strategies can be used to influence employees' commitment to learning and shape their understanding of the overall purpose of the organization. We also show that inappropriate strategies can lead to short‐term efficiencies but damage longer‐term learning. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The crumbling of apartheid: An application of managerial economics

The thesis of this examination of Apartheid in the Republic of South Africa is that the sophistication of capital structure, whether viewed macro-economically or at the level of the firm, passes nigh-irrestible power to even unorganized workers. This non-Marxist social system model is empirically substantiated by South African economic history but, more particularly, from managerial decisions in respect of the production function – especially in the critical gold-mining industry – over time. This leads to the logical conclusion that the dynamic intensification of foreign capital investment in the Republic alone can end that country's system of Apartheid.