Dilemmas in Advertising Research

Abstract

Much advertising research is likely to seem trivial to advertising practitioners and academicians. This is because of two central dilemmas in advertising research. First is the dilemma of purpose: advertising research is too often undertaken for its own sake and thus seems to have a trivial purpose. Second is the dilemma of method: advertising research is often perceived as trivial because it is based on faulty or ill-conceived research procedures. There is much opportunity, particularly for academicians, to pursue non-trivial advertising research. This opportunity originates in the practice of advertising but is not trivial because of it. Specific examples of non-trivial research opportunities in copy research and media research are described and discussed.     

Ethical Dilemmas in Performance Measurement

In this article we discuss the ethical dilemmas facing performance evaluators and the "evaluatees" whose performances are measured in a business context. The concepts of role morality and common morality are used to develop a framework of behaviors that are normally seen as the moral responsibilities of these actors. This framework is used to analyze, based on four empirical situations, why the implementation of a performance measurement system has not been as effective as expected. It was concluded that, in these four cases, unethical behavior (i.e. deviations from the ethical behaviors identified in the framework) provided, at least to some extent, an explanation for the lower than expected effectiveness of the performance measurement procedures. At the end of the paper we present an agenda for further research through which the framework could be further developed and systematically applied to a broader set of cases.     

Ethical Dilemmas for Estate Agents

Research into the work of UK estate agents reveals a love-hate attitude on the part of the public and profound ethical ambivalences. Dr Clarke is a member of the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Studies, The University of Liverpool, POB 147, Liverpool L69 3BX. This article draws on his study Slippery Customers: Estate Agents, The Public and Regulation , Blackstone Press 1994, co-authored with D. Smith and M. McConville.     

探析中国中小企业融资问题

中小企业对中国经济发展的推动作用日益明显,然而其融资困难问题已经成为制约中小企业发展的瓶颈。内源融资渠道不畅,外源融资渠道单一,银行贷款“门槛”偏高是形成困境的主要原因。要从根本解决中小企业融资问题,关键还是要中小企业本身与金融机构共同努力。     

Promoting SMEs in Africa

ABSTRACT

Under colonial rule, sub-Saharan Africa was self-sufficient in food production, and much produce was exported from Africa to Europe. Prior to obtaining independence, in 1957, Ghana-formerly British West African Gold Coast-had one of the most prosperous economies on the African continent. The same is true for Togo, which was administered as part of Afrique Occidentale Française from World War I until its independence in April 1960. Since these two countries obtained independence, however, Indigenous population growth has not been matched by a growth in agriculture and business activity. Today, both Ghana and Togo are net importers, even in basic grains. Can government policy help?     

Generic strategies and firm performance in SMEs: a longitudinal study of Austrian SMEs

This paper studies the impact of generic strategies on firm performance using a longitudinal study of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Austria. In two surveys, data on the strategic behavior and performance of the same group of firms were gathered for the period from 1992 to 2002. The study expands existing literature, which provides little evidence whether the persistent commitment to a generic strategy over a longer period pays off or whether strategic change is the rule in SMEs, reflecting their flexibility as a potential competitive advantage. We consider the traditional generic strategies of cost-efficiency and differentiation, but also examine the group of firms that have no clear strategy or are “stuck in the middle.” Within this group, we distinguish between those companies that deliberately combine traditional low cost production and differentiation, i.e., follow a combination strategy, firms that change their strategy and those that have no strategy. We argue that a combination strategy is a viable strategic choice for SMEs in the long run. We found that the majority of firms pursued a persistent strategy over a 10-year period, but that companies that changed their generic strategy did not produce inferior results to those that adhered to a single strategy over the entire period. Our results reveal that firms that follow a combination strategy outperform companies with no generic strategy in terms of profitability and growth and achieve higher profitability than companies that follow a differentiation strategy.     

Influences in Ethical Dilemmas of Increasing Intensity

This study attempts to extend the literature in ethics research by developing and testing a model of an individual's ethical system which identifies the sources of influence on the decision process. The model is developed from an interdisciplinary literature review and includes six subsystems or spheres that exert influence on an individual: the workplace, family, religion, legal system, community, and profession. The study also examines the role of materiality in the decision-making process.Using this model, empirical tests identify the spheres that exert the most influence on the decision-maker facing an ethical dilemma. In addition, the relative importance of the spheres and the interaction among the spheres is examined. Findings show that: (1) individuals rate variables at different levels of importance as the materiality of the breach changes and (2) the spheres that are considered most important for minor ethical breaches are different than the spheres considered most influential in a major ethical situation.Exploratory factor analysis suggests that the variables representing the spheres can be summarized by three factors. Further, it indicates that these factors change with materiality.     

Creation of Biotech SMEs in France

The paper examines the determinants of the creation of high tech SMEs at a regional level. Relations between the scientific and technical profile of a region, the size of the local market for biotech products and services, and economic development are explored in the French biotech industry during the 1990’s. Empirical analysis shows that a high level of scientific activity within a region is necessary to sustain a continuous flow of new business creation. The likelihood of firm creation depends on scientific and technological organizational factors like cooperation between academic and private organizations. Regional policies can have positive impact on firm creation, especially by promoting diversity and excellence in science. However, contrasting with the U.S. results, the size of the local market for biotech products and services matters in the industry development.     

Strengthen Credit Risk Management of SMEs

What kind of enterprises can be called SMEs - small and medium enterprises？ What is the standard？ According to the standards written in the Law of Small and Medium Enterprises, in industry, small and medium enterprises must accord with the following conditions： the number of employees is under 2,000, or the amount of total sale is under 0.3 billion yuan, or the total assets are under 0.4 billion yuan. In addition,     

中小企业发展现代物流的思考

中小企业发展现代物流应从体制上创造发展现代物流的环境,中小企业自身也应重视物流发展战略的运用,学会利用供应链整合和优化中小企业物流系统,并与其他中小企业一起组成物流战略联盟,最后中小企业应大力发展电子商务物流,强化其核心竞争能力。     

基于产业集群导向的中小企业竞争战略

面对日趋激烈的国内外市场竞争,中小企业应选定并积极融入到某一集群之中,汲取企业集群的优势,最大限度地提高自身核心竞争力。第一,充分利用集群条件,重新构建企业管理与技术创新机制。第二,重视培育合作竞争意识,建立竞争与合作之间的平衡,力争避免零和博弈。第三,明确在集群中的角色,准确定位。第四,重新调整自身的文化结构,真正适应集群的文化特点。第五,调整人力资源管理策略,积极创建学习型组织,大力提倡内部创业,努力优化人才聚集环境,加强人才梯队建设,建立人才流动机制,加大人力资本投入力度。第六,积极实施品牌战略,打造企业的诚信形象,增强企业的融资能力,不断扩大企业规模。     

中小企业如何走出财务困境

随着中小企业在我国国民经济发展中起到越来越重要的作用。研究中小企业经营中面临的问题,使之如何更好地解决财务困境问题,更好更快的发展,成为当今社会财务会计研究的一个重要课题。目前我国中小企业财务存在诸多困难,中美相关资料的比较说明了两国不同的处理方法。借鉴美国的经验,解决中小企业的财务困境问题,应从扩充企业筹资、融资渠道,提高中小企业的信用水平以及国家政府必要的支持等方面做起。     

中小企业发展过程中面临的问题与对策

<正>一、中小企业自身主要特征分析(一)规模小、管理制度薄弱中小企业一般都处在创业初期,所呈现出的最明显的特点就是企业规模小、生产技术水平落后、产品科技含量较低,经营行为短期化,经营过程中存在极大的风险。在管理上,许多中小企业仍然没有建立现代企业制度,管     

中小企业内部控制环境研究

<正>一、内部控制环境的含义内部控制只是实现组织目标的"合理保证",目标达成的可能性受制于制度本身的固有局限和执行中的人为限制,因此,绝对完美的内控制度在理论和实践上均是难以建立的;由于制度在执行中的人为限制,不论设计及执     

我国中小企业现状分析与发展对策研究

中小企业对国民经济的发展起着十分重要的作用。为保证我国中小企业健康、稳定、持续发展,必须从建立中小企业创新机制、构建中小企业良好的融资环境、提升中小企业的国际竞争力等方面制定我国中小企业的发展对策。     

中小外贸企业:获得银行贷款直通车

银行特别关注生产型外贸企业的产品和市场,因为产品销售的成功才能保证银行信贷资金能安全收回。所以企业所生产的产品是否有市场,销售价格波动幅度、原材料的价格波动等,都是银行关注的重点。     

中小企业如何开拓国际市场

本篇文章是英中贸易协会中国区总裁BrianOutlaw先生在第十届中国重庆投资洽谈暨全球采购会"中小企业发展论坛"上的发言,由本刊编辑部编译刊登。旨在使我国的国际贸易促进、中介服务机构以及致力于产品出口的广大中小企业,能够从中得到一些有益的借鉴。中英之间有着传统的贸易往来关系,机电产品仍为中英双边贸易最大类产品,在中英进出口贸易商品结构中占主导地位。同时我们也应该注意到,尽管双边贸易往来、贸易数额不断扩大,但是在各自的贸易额中所占比例并不高,由于两国经济互补性很强,经贸合作的空间仍然很大,相信两国经贸关系一定会有进一步的发展。