Intraindustry marketing strategy effects on the analysis of firm performance

Data aggregation across industries has been shown to be inappropriate in describing correlates of business firm performance. This study examines firms performing a similar function within one industry and suggests a further qualification to this analysis; it may be necessary to account for dominant and varying marketing strategies when estimating performance equations in some industries.     

An Examination of the Coercive Power-Satisfaction Relationship Within a Relational Exchange

ABSTRACT

The authors develop a oonoeptual model that examines the moderating effect of dealer resistance on the use of coercive power-satisfaction relationship. The results provide a possible explanation for inconsistent results within extant channel literature regarding relationships that are power and/or dependency asymmetric Within the context of the model, the authors also provide a conceptualization of the endogenous construct, conflict potential, as a means to examine what motivates a channel member to exercise coercive power as an influencing agent. The model also examines the dealer's tendency to yield or acquiesce decision-making control to the manufacturer within the context of the use of coercive power-satisfaction relationship. The model is tested, via two-group structural equation modeling using a sample of 324 high level executives from the office systems and furniture industry. The authors provide theoretical and managerial implications of the research results as well as directions for future research.     

The Dynamics of Bank Concentration,Competition and Efficiency in the East African Community

Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade - The paper examines whether increased bank concentration and lack of competition lead to inefficiency within the East African Community (EAC) banking...     

Challenging APEC: the Asia Pacific labour network and APEC's human resource development working group

This contribution examines the interaction between the Asia Pacific Labour Network and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In particular it explores the reasons behind the APEC decision to undertake a project to examine successful practices in training, skills development and other human resource activities that have involved labour, management and government. This marks a departure in APEC activiry which to date has neglected labour issues and excluded labour organizations from any substantive role within APEC. The study examines the relationship of APEC to civil sociery, how human resource development issues fit within APEC, the role of the international labour movement in lobbying APEC and the challenges the labour movement might face in participating in APEC including its Human Resources Development Working Group.     

Training,Vocational Qualifications and Employee Performance in Care Work in the UK

This article draws on research conducted in an English organisation engaged in the provision of care in the community. A qualitative methodology has been employed as a means of investigating more thoroughly the nature and processes of care/support work in order to reach more meaningful conclusions regarding the impact of NVQ participation in this area. The article examines training provision within the organisation and assesses its adequacy before going on to describe the background and purpose of NVQs. A range of problems associated with NVQs is then addressed before the introduction of NVQs in the case study organisation is examined. The article concludes with a discussion which draws together the threads and examines whether NVQs in care can contribute to an enhancement in employee performance and their contribution to the provision of quality care.     

农村劳动力迁移与中国工资收入不平等的地区差异:来自2005年全国人口抽样调查的证据

利用2005年全国1%人口抽样调查数据研究中国各地区农村劳动力流动和地区(县/区)内部工资性收入不平等的关系。中国地区间的差异是个人工资收入不平等最突出的决定因素,而地区内不平等程度也存在着很大的差别。农村劳动力人口的迁入有助于降低区内的收入不平等,而迁出则起相反的作用,而且这两种作用在县、县级市和市辖区间存在着显著差别。在研究中国劳动力流动与地区内和地区间的不平等关系时,应该从迁入、迁出两个角度分析其影响,并将城乡分割的二元劳动力市场状况考虑进来。     

Using the Life Course Paradigm to Explain Mechanisms That Link Family Disruptions to Compulsive Buying

This research examines compulsive buying as an impulse‐control disorder, a form of maladaptive behavior believed to have its roots in early‐in‐life experiences of family adversities. Unlike previous research that has typically studied only the effects of family divorce on compulsive buying, this study examines the effects of disruptive family events within the broader multitheoretical life course framework. A sample of 327 young adults is used to test the hypothesized relationships derived from the main life course perspectives. The results show alternate paths leading to compulsive buying, beyond those uncovered in previous studies. By offering a broader overarching framework, the article shows how previous efforts to study compulsive buying can be improved, pointing to the value of the multitheoretical life course approach in understanding consumption phenomena .     

British co-operative societies as retail innovators: Interpreting the early stages of the self-service revolution

This article examines the early stages of the self-service and supermarket innovations in post-war Britain. It does so in the context of co-operative retailers and in particular investigates both why such organizations were pre-eminent in the adoption of self-service as well as how they interpreted the innovation. These ideas are framed within a more general discussion of the ‘models’ of retail innovation and especially the notion of format innovations.     

Is greater flexibility in the labour market the answer to the unemployment crisis?

In view of high and persistent unemployment in the European industrialised countries there is growing consensus that more flexibility is needed with regard to both the legal and institutional conditions governing the labour market (external flexibility) and the management of human resources within individual firms (internal flexibility). This article examines the interaction between internal and external flexibility with special reference to wages, working time and job security.     

Region effects in the internationalization-performance relationship in Chinese firms

This paper examines the relationship between internationalization and performance in Chinese MNEs using panel data on 887 publicly listed Chinese firms over the nine-year period. A second aim of this paper was to test for the effects of the geographic regions where Chinese firms internationalize on their performance. The results show that the internationalization-performance relationship varies significantly depending on whether internationalization takes place within the Greater China region, within Asia or outside Asia. Internationalization within the Greater China region had the greatest benefit, the effect remaining positive and significant even after taking into account reverse causality effects.     

Trends in the internationalization of grocery retailing: the European experience

The three traditional views of retail internationalization involve the diffusion of retail concepts, operational involvement in foreign markets and the international- ization of a retail management function. None of these identified categories is new, but there is evidence that there is an unprecedented level of interest in internationalization as a viable strategic option for retailers. This paper examines these themes within die grocery sector in Europe, through an empirical investigation of activity in the post-war period.     

Labour mobility in the EU: Dynamics,patterns and policies

The continued economic crisis has become a major test for the labour markets of individual member states. Labour mobility within the European Union has the potential to help to reduce labour market pressures and ease economic imbalances. However, a long-term loss of working age population can be detrimental to sending countries. This Forum explores mobility patterns within the European Union and analyses the labour market and welfare effects of labour mobility via case studies of the UK, Poland, Germany and Spain. It also examines a number of its aspects that have important political and institutional relevance for the European Union and its future.     

Predictors of relationship quality for luxury restaurants

Relationship quality is increasingly emerging as a strategy for organizations that strive to retain loyal and satisfied customers in today's highly competitive environment. However, a limited number of studies have investigated relationship quality within the hospitality industry. This study examines and applies a measurement model originally tested with Korean customers to American customers to confirm that the predictors of relationship quality for luxury restaurants are cross-culturally valid. This study also examines the relative importance of each predictor of relationship quality, and identifies strategies for luxury restaurants that should enhance their level of customer trust and satisfaction.     

Factors that Influence the Moral Reasoning Abilities of Accountants: Implications for Universities and the Profession

The need to maintain the public trust in the integrity of the accounting profession has led to increased interest in research that examines the moral reasoning abilities (MRA) of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). This study examines the MRA of CPAs practicing in small firms or as sole practitioners and the factors that affect MRA throughout their working careers. The results indicate that small-firm accounting practitioners exhibit lower MRA than expected for professionals and that age, gender and socio-political beliefs affect the moral reasoning abilities of small-firm practitioners. We also find that completion of an ethics course in college has a positive impact on MRA. Also, the survey respondents indicate overwhelming support for including ethics courses within the business curriculum. Finally, the fact that those accountants with the lowest MRA are the least supportive of ethical training may indicate the need for mandatory, rather than optional, training in ethics both in university and Continuing Professional Education courses.     

Exploring the retail design management process within a UK food retailer

Design is an increasingly important part of the competitive strategy of food retailers in the UK. This paper examines the design management process within one of the leading UK food retailers to provide a model of the process. This model constitutes a contribution to design management theory in the retail sector. The process of retail design management is explored and discussed. This paper attempts to provide an exploratory base for future linkages to be made between design management and retail marketing theories.     

The post-war transformation of West Germany’s economy: A model for the GDR?

The unification of the two German states within a relatively short period of time now appears inevitable. Yet there is no historical precedent for a successful transformation from a socialist to a market economy. Doubts have been voiced by some as to whether such a transformation is possible. The following article compares the situation facing the GDR today with that facing the Federal Republic in 1948 and examines the conclusions to be drawn from this comparison.     

Attraction of power shopping centres

This paper examines shoppers at two power centres in the U.S.A. to determine why they do or do not engage in cross-shopping within the centre and the demographic and situational characteristics and shopper behaviours which may distinguish the cross-shopper from the non-cross-shopper. The paper also examines the spatial extent of power centre trade areas in order to position this new type of centre within the traditional shopping centre hierarchy. Cross-shoppers are driven by the same motives as shoppers in other centres. The most important reason for not cross-shopping is 'shopping store for a specific item', indicating the importance of destination shopping. Cross-shoppers and non cross-shoppers appear to be a relatively homogeneous group, differing only in terms of gender and travel distance. Trade areas of power centres approach the size of those for regional centres.     

International differences in production techniques: Implications for the factor content of trade

This paper examines how production techniques differ across countries, factors, and industries and considers its implications for previous empirical evidence on the Vanek prediction. I find that production techniques differ substantially across countries and factors, but differ much less across industries within a country. Davis and Weinstein (2001) argue that modeling cross-industry differences (multiple-cone specialization) improves the fit of the Vanek prediction; however, their test statistics are unchanged when one restricts techniques to be identical across industries within a country. Thus, the bulk of world factor content of trade does not arise from specialization.     

Network embeddedness and new-venture internationalization: Analyzing international linkages in the German biotech industry

This paper examines whether inter-organizational factors influence German biotech firms' propensity to internationalize by forming international research alliances. Inter-organizational factors include dimensions of a firm's embeddedness within its local cluster and within its national research network. We test two sets of hypotheses (local and national network-drivers) on a longitudinal event history dataset of the complete German biotech population for the years 1995–2004. Findings show that location in a local cluster already dense with international linkages, the building of research alliances with local research institutes as well as national partners and central position in the national research network increase the probability of forming international research alliances.     

Daniel M. Abramson. Building the Bank of England: Money, Architecture, Society, 1694-1942

Daniel Abramson's thorough study examines the architecturalhistory of the Bank of England as a reflection of the bank'spriorities and interests and as the institution and the buildingdeveloped into vital players in Britain's image. In the processof tracing the evolution of the various structures occupiedby the bank during the period from 1694 to 1942, he has createda model interdisciplinary study that places the Bank of Englandas a structure and financial institution within