Executive development in China: is there any in a Western sense?

A recurring theme in the literature on Chinese management has been the impact of culture and, in particular, the influence of values derived from Confucianism on Chinese management practices. The reforms that led to foreign direct investment (FDI), the problems of State-owned enterprises (SOEs), the social, political and economic changes and analyses of Chinese managerial styles and performance have been the major concerns. There has been less attention specifically paid to Chinese managers' characteristics and to managerial career patterns, which may be shaped by national culture and values. In contrast, in the West, there is a vast body of literature covering career theories and managerial growth, dealing variously with personal values and other factors, such as family upbringing, education, social background and employment structure, that have major impacts on managers' career pathways. This paper explores how far executive career development in modern China (PRC) corresponds to Western notions, and also tries to determine whether there are specific factors relating to Chinese executives' personal biographies and career paths. A pilot study was carried out to identify the variables that might shed light on career patterns and, if possible, to profile the Chinese manager. A number of emergent themes are described. They derive from the experience of individual interviewees who took part in the pilot research, which was conducted in Beijing and Shanghai and in which forty-nine managers in forty-two companies were interviewed. These pilot interviews revealed a complex interplay of biographical data and career themes. Of clear importance was the guanxi mechanism (direct or indirect personal relationship to solicit favours) which has no exact comparison in the West and which does not figure in Western career theories. A preliminary tentative Chinese executive career model has been developed.     

Comparative performance appraisal practices and management values among foreign and domestic firms in India

Countering culture-based analyses indicating homogeneity in Indian management practices, this empirical study compares performance appraisal practices and management values in India by firm ownership. Differences in Indian private investor corporations, public sector enterprises, foreign/joint ventures and private family businesses are examined to assist managers to adapt selectively to firms in the changing Indian economy. Theoretical and managerial implications, as well as future directions for research are discussed.     

企业管理审计实践创新研究——以浙江民营企业为例

内部审计活动评价具有改进机构的风险管理、控制和治理体系的功能。调查发现,浙江民营企业内部审计的独立性和权威性未能实现。本文认为,应积极在民营企业内部审计过程中,推进公司治理结构审计、风险管理审计、战略决策审计、人力资源审计等,以填补我国企业审计研究与实践的空白。     

Incubator,technology, and innovation centres in Switzerland: features and policy implications

Only since the early 1990s, when unemployment rates in Switzerland soared to unprecedented levels, has federal technology and innovation policy begun to design their activities with regard to employment and the establishment of new firms. Now, all across the country, private as well as public incubator facilities, technology and innovation centres have begun to spring up. This paper starts by describing the theoretical and methodological background of a survey of incubator, technology and innovation (ITI) centres. In a first step, all cantonal offices for economic promotion were asked to report and to describe incubator facilities, technology and innovation centres within their realm. In a second step a selection of centres were analysed in depth. The key findings are that: (1) ITI centres are most commonly established by a combination of public and private initiatives; (2) the main motive for the creation of ITI centres is to promote startups and the innovative potential; (3) most ITI centres offer space to rent and make available joint amenities; (4) ITI centres are predominantly in manufacturing, services, and development activities; their level of technology input is high or very high; and (5) the spatial reach of most of the ITI centre is on the region. Together with selected foreign experiences, some conclusions and recommendations for the operation of such centres are formulated.     

会计信息失真探源及其治理措施

会计信息是经济信息的重要组成部分。利用会计信息的载体——凭证、账簿等,可以传递有关财务状况,经营成果,现金流量,财务状况变动等信息。对这些信息进行针对性的分析,就可以预测社会经济活动的变化趋势,对国民经济的管理和广大信息使用者都有很大的意义。然而,严重而又普遍的会计信息失真问题已成为困扰我国经济改革和发展的一大难题。本文对形成会计信息失真的原因进行了探究,并提出了有效解决会计信息失真几项治理措施。     

管理期权及其在投资决策中的应用

本文从传统投资决策折现现金流方法(DCF)的固有缺陷入手,对管理期权的概念、价值、类型进行了分析,探讨了管理期权在项目决策中的具体应用,并指出管理期权与传统的DCF法在项目投资决策中可能得出不同的结论,从而拓展了企业项目投资决策的方法。     

Fairness reactions to personnel selection techniques in Singapore and the United States

This study investigates reactions to personnel selection techniques from the perspectives of working adults in the United States and Singapore, and provides a comparison of the two samples. Differences in the cultural values of the two countries are used to generate hypotheses. Working adults in Singapore (N = 158) and the United States (N = 108) rated the process favourability of eleven selection procedures and then indicated the bases for their reactions on seven procedural dimensions. Implications for selection in Singapore, the United States and in international contexts are discussed.     

Local development and embedded large firms

A classification of potential ties between large firms and local economies is proposed, first, by working on various sections of literature concerning multinational enterprises, subsidiaries and regional development. Then, building on a model of a dynamic local economy, i.e. the vital industrial district, a framework is sketched in which different combinations of linkages are put in relation to different pools and degrees of strength of social capital and other local factors. The main object of this paper is to present that framework and illustrate a proposition nested in it. The proposition is that involvement in knowledge exchange and institutional building, identifying ‘developmental embeddedness’, is more probable where and when the local factors are neither ‘too weak’ nor ‘too strong’, and contextual policies fostering the developmental role of large firm units are present.     

管理股权、会计选择与盈余质量

本文根据异常应计项目框架和修正的Jones模型,以1995—2004年上市公司数据为样本,对上市公司管理股权通过会计选择影响企业的盈余质量进行了分析。实证研究发现,管理股权比例与盈余质量之间呈U型分布,相对集中的管理股权有利于提高盈余质量。     

信息化对企业文化的影响分析

全球已经步入信息化时代,企业实施信息化已成为企业市场生存的要求,信息化对企业方方面面均产生了巨大的影响,而作为企业核心竞争力的企业文化也必须适应这种新的变化。本文从企业文化的物质、制度、行为和精神这四个层面出发,就信息化对企业文化产生的影响进行了分析。     

Types of innovation and inter-firm co-operation

The paper presents the results of an empirical study that aims to investigate the impact of interfirm co-operation over innovation on four different types of innovation: product, process, incremental and radical innovation. Drawing on the innovative milieu literature, the impact on the above four types of innovation was tested for both external and internal factors of innovation such as inter-firm co-operation over innovation, production networking, as well as R&D investment and R&D personnel. Four probit models were run by using a unique data set compiled as part of the Regional Innovation Strategy for the West Midlands (UK) Project. The main findings of the paper seem to provide substantial evidence that, for any of the four types of innovation considered, firms' capacity to innovate could greatly improve if they co-operated with other firms over innovation in addition to or instead of investing in R&D. Innovation policy should not overlook, therefore, the systemic component of innovation and ought to attempt to initiate and support inter-firm co-operation. This would mean a renewed and more focused analysis of firms' clusters as part of a multi-faceted approach to innovation policy.     

Managerial shareholdings, firm value, and acquired corporations

Prior research on the relationship between managerial shareholdings and firm value provides conflicting evidence. We take a different approach to its analysis and focus on managerial shareholdings in acquired firms. We argue that in a relatively unfettered market for corporate control, prior evidence of a nonlinear relationship between moral hazard costs and managerial shareholdings suggests that acquired corporations can be segmented according to managerial shareholdings, and that these segments will differ according to the source of wealth gains, managerial resistance, who acquires the company, and how target shareholders are paid. We find evidence consistent with these predictions.     

All in the family or public? Law and appropriative costs as determinants of ownership structure

We examine how the legal protection of outside shareholders and the appropriative costs that they induce influence the incentives for private firms to go public. A higher degree of protection of shareholders can increase the appropriative costs associated with the conflict between managers and shareholders. To counteract this effect the managers/owners increase the share of the firm they retain so that, overall, higher protection of outsiders increases the likelihood of going public. In addition, we examine how the share of funds raised used to finance the firm affects both appropriative costs and the decision to sell.For helpful comments we thank participants at the conference on Corporate Governance at UC Irvine (February 2002), seminar participants at the Athens University of Economics and Business, and worskshop participants on the New Organization of Labour at the 2002 CESifo summer Institute in Venice. Skaperdas gratefully acknowledges support from a grant for Research and Writing from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.     

管理哲学时代的现实基础及哲学依据

随着经济全球化程度的不断加深,管理活动面临着越来越复杂的挑战,从而要求管理者从更高层次的哲学思维上把握管理活动,指导管理实践,预示着管理哲学时代的到来。主旨通过分析管理哲学时代的特征,揭示其现实基础、哲学依据,以使人们更好地认识和把握这一时代,有效地促进管理理论和实践的创新。     

实物期权方法在投资项目评估中的运用

本文介绍了投资评估的实物期权方法,着重分析运用该方法的一般程序以及应该注意的问题。给出了评估方法选择以及期权类型的评判标准,分析了确定期权参数时应注意的问题。文章重点在于实物期权的实际运用,具有一定的现实意义。     

薪酬公平感、人格特质对公务员越轨行为的影响

以公务员为研究对象,探讨了薪酬公平感、人格特质对越轨行为的影响。采用实证研究的方法,通过对737个样本数据进行回归分析,发现三类薪酬公平感对工作怠情、损人利己、渎职滥权、贪墨侵占、合作破坏这五种越轨行为具有显著负向影响。结果还发现,宜人性对分配公平影响四种越轨行为的调节作用显著,责任感对分配公平影响所有越轨行为的调节作用均显著,神经质仅在分配公平影响合作破坏行为过程中起到调节作用。