Putting the Corporation in its Place

This article challenges the idea that the corporation is a globallysuperior form of business organization and that the Anglo-Americancommon-law is more conducive to economic development than thecode-based legal systems characteristic of continental Europe.Although the corporation had important advantages over the mainalternative form of organization (partnerships), it also haddisadvantages that limited its appeal to small- and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs). As a result, when businesses were providedwith an intermediate choice, the private limited liability company(PLLC) that combined the advantages of legal personhood andjoint stock with a flexible internal organizational structure,most chose not to organize as corporations. This article tracksthe changes that occurred in the menu of business organizationalforms in two common-law countries (the United Kingdom and theUnited States) and two countries governed by legal codes (Franceand Germany) and presents data showing the rapidity with whichfirms in each country responded to enabling legislation forPLLCs. We show that the PLLC was introduced first and most easilyin a code country (Germany) and last and with the most difficultyin a common-law country (the United States). Late introductionwas associated with prolonged use of the partnership form, suggestingthat the disadvantages of corporations did indeed weigh heavilyon SMEs.     

Everything Old is New Again: The Age of Consumer-Centric Supply Chain Management

Over the past several decades, the disciplines of marketing and logistics grew apart from their common historical origins as marketing became more behavioral and more quantitative, while logistics leaned toward a more operational orientation. We argue in this editorial that social and technological changes in the past 20 years, coupled with the effects of the COVID pandemic, have created the conditions for the two disciplines to reconnect. We propose that scholars and practitioners consider a consumer-centric approach to supply chain management. Such an approach advocates that the entire supply chain should focus on consumer experience rather than mere customer service and that experiences might include issues such as last-mile delivery, supply chain visibility, and consumer values. We also introduce the papers appearing in this issue of the journal.     

Place as a site and item of consumption: an exploratory study

While places are recognized as sites of consumption within the field of consumer behaviour, they have yet to be generally accepted as forms of consumption. This study investigates the idea of place as a consumption object by comparing conceptions of city and country within a cross‐cultural sample. Thirty‐six consumers living in the US, the UK and Australia were interviewed to explore their thoughts and feelings relating to the cities and countries in which they reside. The findings provide empirical support for key conceptualizations of place in the sociology literature and extend consumer behaviour theory to include considerations of the physical, social and cultural aspects of place that impact upon consumption. In addition, the findings portray places as entities that are assessed, selected and experienced in comparable ways to products.     

"Sex" and "Gender": Two Confused and Confusing Concepts in the "Women in Corporate Management" Literature

In this article we attempt to reduce the confusion surrounding the concepts of "sex" and "gender" in the literature of "Women in Corporate Management." We contend that the incorrect usage of these concepts not only creates confusion in the literature, but also casts a shadow over the research findings in this area. We offer specific recommendations for authors as means to reduce the confusion in future research.     

PLANT TREES DONATE LOVE——SCITECH Tower & Place Participates in "Green Education Support"

On April 14, 2007, SCITECH Tower & Place organized over 70 tenants and employees to participate in the activity of "Planting trees and green education support", a part of the Green territory Project that was sponsored by China Environmental Education Fund in the environment education base in Dashiwo town, Fangshan District, Beijing.     

Management as Science versus Management as Practice in Postgraduate Business Education

This first article in our Special Feature on Management Education aims to set the scene and ask fundamental questions about the function and methodology of teaching business studies. The authors start by summarising the history of management education from a US perspective. Distinguishing between research and education, they then argue that in education the pendulum needs to swing away from what they call "scientism" and that management should be taught as a craft rooted in action.     

Lanzhou:A Traveling Place in Northwest China

Lanzhou is not only the geomctrical center of China bur also a center in the northwesr in terms of transportation.     

Sportsbooks and politicians: Place your bet!: Teaching note

This case exposes students to strategy issues for an electronic business that is subject to a particularly complex set of laws and regulations. This note explains the teaching objectives of the case and how to use the case in class. Instructors can organize its discussion around four questions which guide the students from the analysis of the industry and a characterization of different forms of competition in sports gambling, to the strategy of BetonSports and the political calculations that serve as basis for this strategy. A more complete teaching guide is available from the authors upon request.     

从"非典"谈组织在危机中的形象管理

组织的形象危机来源于组织与相关环境的严重不和谐因子。危机过程中，时间是组织的稀缺资源，因此在消除不和谐因子的同时，更重要的是迅速建立和谐因子，对和谐因子的管理和运作是组织在危机中成功形象管理的关键。     

Hefei：A Place of Interest in Anhui Province

Lying between the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, Hefei is the capital city of Anhui province and is ranked as one of the fifty strongest cities in China. Close to the coastal area, Hefei plays an important part in connecting the eastern and western areas of China while also linking the south and the north. Covering an area of 7,266square kilometers, Hefei is known as the central tourist city of the whole province.     

QFII:外资成为新主力?

前不久举办的"引进合格的境外机构投资者QFII座谈会"的举行引起了中国券商和众多投资者的注意,这是否是QFII开始启动、国外资金会否成为新的血液补充?这项早就在媒体上频频曝光的改革举措会给股市带来多大影响呢?     

赢字当中所包含的财务管理理念

<正>赢,从汉字大字典中可以归纳出它包括下面的含义:有余利,获利,赢利。赢余(盈余)。赌博或比赛获胜,赌输赢。     

Brands as "separable assets"

What is a brand name worth, and how can it be valued? These questions have always been asked by company analysts and have recently also been the concern of accountants. In this contribution to the 'brands debate', Patrick Barwise and his co-authors set out the current state of our knowledge on brands: do they last, are they stable and can their value be separated from those of other intangible assets? The authors have little doubt that brand names have an economic value, but find that attaching precise numbers to these valuations can be fraught with difficulties.     

“制度外”政府收支:内外之辨与预算管理

本文对政府制度内、外收支的范畴进行了辨析,梳理了我国制度外收支内容的变化与管理制度的历史沿革。制度外收支本身就是我国经济制度由计划经济向市场经济转轨过程中政府间财政收入分配博弈的产物。政府间财政关系的不畅,是制度外收支活动存在的内在动因;而制度外收支活动又制约了财政体制基本功能的有效发挥。最后,本文从公共预算角度入手,在打造统一预算;完善预算程序,加强预算监督;深入推进部门预算改革三方面提出了治理制度外收支的政策建议。     

国企技术管理人员岗位胜任特征模型及在人力资源管理中的应用

技术创新是企业生存和发展的根本保证,也是一个地区、一个国家经济增长的不竭动力,要增强国有企业技术创新能力,提高国有企业技术水平,就应当加强对技术管理人员的人力资源开发与管理,从一定程度上讲,技术管理人员的素质与企业的技术创新能力是息息相关的,是构成企业核心竞争力的重要因素。     

Sportsbooks and politicians: Place your bet!

Betting on sports is widespread. Book making can be profitable but the practice is illegal in the United States. The internet allows this activity to move to offshore locations like Costa Rica. The internet also lowers entry barriers and makes pricing more transparent which could lead to hyper competition. Using odds for four World Cup soccer games the case reader can calculate the expected profitability for several bookies (sportsbooks). Price dispersion does not disappear with the internet, even for gambling which entails no movement of merchandise. Strategy is important. Sportsbooks must decide on segments, product mix and geographic scope.