Peter von Staden. Business-Government Relations in Prewar Japan

Business–Government Relations in Prewar Japan by Petervon Staden deals with the Japanese iron and steel industry fromthe late 1910s through the early 1930s. The period was the turbulentyears for the industry, finally leading to the formation ofJapan Steel Corporation in 1934. Japan Steel Corporation wasa huge production firm, by Japanese standard, whose market sharewas over 90 percent in pig iron and over 50 percent in finishedsteel of the Japanese market, so that it became virtually amonopoly firm. How and why was such a semimonopoly iron     

Business-Government Partnership in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study critically examines the role of multinational corporations in the global competitiveness of Nigeria. The primary purpose is to make a modest contribution to the debate on Nigeria's competitiveness in the emerging global economy. This study recommends the redefinition of national development goals and reorientation of the focus of MNCs toward such goals. Future industrial policy will need to address the following areas: (1) Promoting competitiveness, especially improving technological capabilities in a market economy; (2) Shifting the incentive structure strongly towards export orientation; (3) Helping import-substituting industries to restructure and upgrade their technologies and skills; (4) Investing in infrastructure, education, training and technological support services; and (5) Promoting regional cooperation to enlarge markets.     

Changing corporate culture over time in South Korea

Corporate culture change is an interesting topic, not least since cultures are often seen as deeply ingrained and slow moving. Here we look at the example of the large, diversified conglomerates in South Korea – the chaebol. This is partly because of their strong corporate cultures, importance in the country's economic development and growth and growing public and political backlash against what are seen as overly powerful institutions. We find that over the decade from one crisis, the 1997 Asian financial crisis, to the next, the 2008 global financial crisis, there has indeed been change between and within chaebol corporate cultures. However, this is not as straightforward as it seems and the situation in and after 2011 has become even more complex, mainly due to changes in the global environment.     

中朝韩经贸关系纵深发展的战略进路

随着东北亚地区经济联系的日益紧密,域内国家间的相互依存度明显提高.东北亚经济合作划时代的契机是域内国家签订自由贸易协定,从而平行地促进产业分工.中朝韩三国经贸合作规模的提升和发展速度的提高,可以推动一度因日本态度消极而搁浅的中日韩自由贸易区建设,并将成为东北亚经济合作发展的催化剂.中朝经贸发展的能动力在于中国建设性的参与朝鲜的经济革新发展,而中韩经贸发展的增长点则在于加速建立自由贸易区.     

Individual and Organizational Antecedents of Professional Ethics of Public Relations Practitioners in Korea

This study examines the effects of individual ethical values and organizational factors on the professional ethics of PR practitioners in Korea by considering a person–situation interactionist model. Individual ethical values are used as individual factors, and organizational factors consist of an organization’s reward and punishment for ethical/unethical behavior, the behavior of peers, and the ethical integrity of the chief ethics officer. The professional ethics of PR practitioners (the dependent variable) are classified into the following three dimensions: professional ethics for the public, the client, and the PR industry. The results indicate that agency practitioners were more likely to be committed to their profession than to their organization, whereas in-house practitioners were more likely to be committed to their organization than to their profession. That is, in-house practitioners showed weak professional commitment, indicating that they perceived themselves as employees, not as PR professionals. Organizational factors such as reward, punishment, and peers’ ethical behavior had considerable influence on the professional ethics of in-house practitioners, whereas they had little influence on agency practitioners. Organizational factors as well as individual ethical values were more likely to influence the professional ethics of in-house practitioners than that of agency practitioners. Thus, to foster in-house practitioners’ professional ethics and commitment, professional associations in the PR industry should make efforts to provide in-house practitioners with more information on the PR industry and more opportunities for interacting and maintaining communication with their colleagues in the industry.     

Thomas J. Watson and the Business-Government Relationship, 1933-1956

The precise nature of the relationship between the Americanbusiness community and the New Deal has been a lively topicof debate in recent years. This article looks at an importantfigure and firm in that relationship (Thomas J. Watson of IBM)to increase our understanding of it. This article focuses chronologicallyon the period from the early 1930s through the mid-1950s, whenNew-Deal-era public policy innovations were most influential.The overall picture that emerges from this study of the U.S.business-government relationship during those years is one ofbusiness accommodation of major changes in social conditionsand public policies rather than a view of business as the primaryleader of change.     

Communicating Corporate Responsibility to Investors: The Changing Role of the Investor Relations Function

Based on an inductive study we analyse the role of the investor relations (IR) function in the light of rising investor concern about corporate social responsibility (CSR). The study draws on interviews with IR professionals in twenty firms. It highlights their awareness of CSR issues as well as their assessment of concern among mainstream investors and socially responsible investors (SRIs). From these findings we develop suggestions on how the IR function is moving from a mere “broadcasting” mode regarding CSR issues into a much more interactive mode of relationship management.     

The Changing Structure of Intercorporate Relations Among Britain's Largest Retail Firms, 1975-1997

Empirical studies of the structure of intercorporate relations among large firms in Britain and elsewhere have revealed extensive networks of interconections through interlocking directorships. Although the significance of such linkages has been much discussed, they are widely held to constitute important communication channels which may play a significant role in firms' strategic decision-making. However, these issues have not been examined previously in the case of Britain's retail sector. This paper explores the links, via shared directors, between Britain's twenty largest retail companies over the last two decades. The retailers' connections with other major financial and industrial concerns are also explored. The results indicate that intercorporate relations in the retail sector have been radically transformed as these firms have become progressively integrated into Britain's wider business network.     

Changing Perceptions and Changing Behavior in Customer Relationships

We formulate a theoretical model in which we postulate that if customers' behavior is perceived as not optimal, customers will adjust this behavior based on their current satisfaction and payment equity. Furthermore, customers will also include new experiences. In our empirical study we particularly investigate customer referrals and the amount of services purchased. Our results show positive effects of current satisfaction and payment equity on referrals, while also changes in satisfaction and payment equity affect customer referrals. With respect to the amount of services purchased, our estimation results reveal a positive significant effect of only changes in satisfaction.     

全球金融危机下的中韩经贸关系调整及对策

中韩建交16年来,两国互为重要的贸易伙伴。"次贷危机"的爆发对中韩两国经济与贸易形成重大冲击。包括贸易逆差在内的中韩双边经贸关系中的固有问题发生了一定变化。面对全球金融风暴,中韩两国应该加强金融合作、改善贸易环境,同舟共济、勇闯难关。     

TV Product Placement in Korea

This study reviewed the process of discussion and the present state related to the permission of product placement (PPL) in Korea. This study also reviewed opinions for or against PPL-related laws and regulations and the relaxation of PPL restrictions. The responses of stakeholders and PPL-related discussions of the academic and government organizations were addressed through public hearings and forums when PPL was restricted by the Broadcasting Act. Finally, this study reviewed the present state after the permission of PPL, including PPL-related laws and regulations and PPL selling methods. In January 2010, as the revised bill of the enforcement ordinance of the Broadcasting Act was approved in a Cabinet meeting, PPL was permitted for terrestrial broadcasting and cable channels. The broadcast advertising market is expected to continue expanding in the future.     

Fast-food consumption in South Korea

The consumption of fast-food products in Korea has undergone a rapid increase over the past ten to fifteen years. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency with which South Koreans consume seven common Western-style fast-food products and five common Korean-style fast-food products, and to find the socio-economic group most responsible for the increase in fast-food consumption. Data were collected on the dietary patterns and socio-economic backgrounds of 1,745 subjects between the ages of 12 and 64 years in urban and rural areas of Korea. This study showed that the fast-food products investigated were consumed mainly by Koreans under the age of 30, single, female, residents of Seoul, and either presently students or young adults with only grade school education. However, the results indicated that the consumption of most fast-food products was distributed amongst all income levels.     

Discount Store Retailing in Korea

Abstract

This study examined the effects of consumers' internal shopping motives and external store attributes on excitement that shoppers may experience at discount stores in Korean markets and the mediating impact of excitement on selected behavior outcomes. Among three types of shopping motives (socialization, utilitarian and diversion), diversion significantly affected the level of excitement that shoppers experienced at the discount store. Store attributes of facility-related convenience and a neat, spacious atmosphere had an impact on shoppers' excitement at the discount stores. Excitement positively affected shoppers' satisfaction and repatronage intentions in discount store retailing in Korea. The empirical study results have major implications for multinational retailers as well as for future research in the area of international retailing.     

Consumer Sales Law in Poland: Changing the Law,Changing Attitudes

The purpose of this paper is to show what the future implementation of the Consumer Sales Directive by Poland may involve. The analysis focuses on the substantive legal and other changes necessary to give full effect to the Directive. Polish guarantees law is compared with the Directive in order to identify similarities and divergences and highlight areas in need of reform. A brief account of the extra-legal factors affecting the position of consumers in post-Communist countries supplements the legal analysis in order to show what sort of reforms are necessary. It will be demonstrated that the black letter laws do not need as much change as certain other issues, such as political, economic, and social factors, and, most of all, the idiosyncrasies of the legal profession. Finally, the role of the European Communities in the process of harmonisation of post-Socialist laws with the European Union standards is briefly analysed. Although the analysis of guarantee laws is focused on Poland, the reader is encouraged to see the wider picture of post-Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and the specificity of the position of consumers there.