A taxonomy of back-shoring initiatives in the US

The study develops an empirical taxonomy of manufacturing back-shoring initiatives to the US, based on the drivers the location decision. Results identify six patterns of back-shoring, which highlight the importance of concurrently considering different theoretical lenses to interpret the phenomenon. Back-shoring initiatives are significantly driven by non-price related costs, which include the costs of governance. Institutional pressures coming from customers demanding country-of-origin branding and from political bodies are also important drivers, while the exploitation of distinctive resources that allow firms to compete in high-segment markets is less relevant. The study also highlights that back-shoring patterns are significantly related to within-border location advantages, such as state-level median wages, productivity, and innovation capacity.     

Taking services to foreign markets: A taxonomy of Brazilian service firms

This study develops a taxonomy of international service firms from an emerging market, Brazil, and assesses whether there are significant differences in international performance between the groups. After an extensive literature review, a survey was carried out with a sample of international service firms located in an emerging economy, Brazil. Using as a departure point two theoretical perspectives, the internationalization process theory and industrial organization theory, in addition to service dimensions extracted from the empirical service management literature, the study identifies four groups—large traditionals, generalist neophytes, solitary traditionals, and daring differentiators—based on firm characteristics, international services delivered, internationalization process characteristics, and international strategies adopted. The findings suggest that there are significant differences in performance between the groups.     

SME growth in the service sector: A taxonomy combining life-cycle and resource-based theories

The approach to the life-cycle theory has been used as an analytical tool of the firms' growth. Several researchers argue that organisations move across several development stages where different problems are found resulting from different management styles and priorities, and resources. This research aims to develop an empirical taxonomy of small medium enterprise (SME) growth in the service sector based on life-cycle and resource-based theories. The data were submitted to bivariate and multivariate analyses to develop and test an empirical life-cycle model. It was possible to conclude that the firms could be clustered in three life-cycle stages. Some implications and future researches are addressed.     

A taxonomy of standards in the service sector: Theoretical discussion and empirical test

Based on the peculiarities of services the different typologies of service standards are discussed. Against this background, a survey among European service companies addressed the question of in which service-related categories formal and informal standards are implemented. In total 364 European service companies responded to the on-line survey. Relying on the assessment of the importance of the various service-related standardisation aspects, it was possible to identify a taxonomy of service standards containing five clusters of service standards ‘Service Management’, ‘Service Employee’, ‘Service Delivery’, ‘Customer Interaction’, and ‘Data Flows and Security’, which correspond very closely to the ex ante applied typology derived from the literature.     

Designing the spreadsheet-based decision support systems course: An application of Bloom's taxonomy

Decision support systems (DSS) have played an important role in organizations for many years. As DSS continue to be developed for industry applications, a number of business programs in universities offer a specialized course aimed at helping students better understand and develop DSS systems to support decision making. Spreadsheet software coupled with an application programming language can serve as a useful DSS generation software package for such courses. To help students develop their technical skills for spreadsheet-based DSS, the principles underlying Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives can serve as a guiding framework for instructional design. This article describes how Bloom's taxonomy has been used to support the design of two different DSS courses, an undergraduate course and an MBA course. Student survey data collected over the past four years from students enrolled in nine sections of the DSS courses are reported. Based on the survey findings, as well as the instructor's observations, it appears that a teaching strategy based on Bloom's taxonomy offers a worthwhile framework for instructors who teach a spreadsheet-based DSS course.     

Professionals' views of comparative advertising and the scholarly research literature: A review and synthesis

Comparative advertisements that contrast identifiable, competing products or services may be among advertising's most important tactical weapons. Despite nearly a century of use in the USA, growing use by advertisers in many other countries, and decades of scholarly research, some researchers continue to argue that the status of empirical knowledge regarding comparative advertising's effectiveness remains equivocal. This study addresses this equivocality with a review of the research literature and comparisons with the findings of a recent survey of US advertising creative executives. The findings reveal substantial agreement among the beliefs of academic researchers and advertising professionals in regard to when and how comparative advertising will likely be effective. In addition to offering confirming evidence that academic researchers and advertising professionals do sometimes arrive at the same destination in regard to their shared understandings of advertising effects, the findings also point the way toward important directions for future research on comparative advertising.     

综合化CNI设备测试系统的设计

针对综合化通信导航识别（ICNI）设备与传统CNI设备在体系架构、信息传输方式的差异以及现有测试方法的不足,设计了一种综合测试系统。该系统借鉴综合模块化设计思想实现专用模拟器模块化,采用专家系统实现自动测试,通过机内测试（BIT）提高机内故障诊断能力,不仅满足ICNI设备功能指标测试要求,也为故障检测及诊断提供了方法。该系统可对ICNI设备全频段覆盖性自动测试,故障隔离率达到100%,是验证ICNI设备性能的有效技术手段。     

A taxonomy of prestige-seeking university students: strategic insights for higher education

This study explores the importance of psychographic characteristics as potential segmentation bases in the higher education sector. In particular, we develop a taxonomy of university students based on their achievement orientation and prestige sensitivity. The study analyses the survey data obtained from 948 respondents using cluster analyses and multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA), indicating interesting findings. Three distinct clusters emerge, namely Strivers, Modest Achievers and Prestige-seeking Innovators. Findings reveal that Prestige-seeking Innovators have a more positive attitude towards the university, whereas Strivers have the strongest sense of regret over their decision to enrol at their current university and would seize the opportunity to enrol in a more prestigious university. The taxonomy is highly relevant to marketers of higher education institutions as it gives insights into potential bases for segmentation, positioning and communication strategies targeting the specific characteristics of each segment.     

A Taxonomy of Cause-Related Marketing Research: Current Findings and Future Research Directions

ABSTRACT

Cause-related marketing is an increasingly popular method of improving marketing relationships with customers, both for the sponsoring company and for the participating cause. This paper outlines the rewards and risks for the company and the cause as they consider this type of partnership, as well as the benefits and drawbacks for the customers asked to participate in these programs through the purchase of the sponsored product or service. Future directions for research are recommended in order to (1) expand the findings within this domain, and (2) to maximize sales results from cause-related marketing initiatives for businesses and causes.     

Toward the development of an integrative framework of subsidiary success: A synthesis of the process and contingency models with the strategic reference points theory

The purpose of this article is to integrate the process and contingency models with the Strategic Reference Points (SRP) theory in the context of international marketing decisions for subsidiary success. The SRP theory suggests that strategy and structure of organizations, and their subsequent performance, can be influenced by management's choice of SRPs. From the review of the literature on the contingency, process, and SRP theories, the authors develop two interrelated theoretical models, the Target Market Similarity Continuum (TMSC) model and the Target Market Strategic Reference Points (TMSRP) model. Based on the TMSC model, it is proposed that as the economies of scale in marketing activities increase, (1) the positive relationship between target market similarity and a standardized marketing strategy will become stronger and (2) the positive relationship between target market similarity and a centralized marketing structure will become stronger. Based on the TMSRP model, it is also proposed that (1) active interactions between target market similarity, strategy, and structure facilitate the establishment of internal and external SRPs and (2) active interactions with established SRPs will improve subsidiary performance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

通用飞机综合航电测试系统的设计与实现

分析了通用飞机上装载综合航电系统的测试与维修现状,讨论了搭建综合航电测试平台系统的必要性。结合生产实际需求,提出了将虚拟仪器、自动测试相关技术引入到综合航电系统的测试平台中。以GPIB仪器、VXI模块为依托完成硬件方面的设计;在软件设计上,利用Labview驱动模块实现对测试仪器的控制。实际应用表明,设计的系统具有自动化程度高、可靠性和稳定性高等优点。     

Trends in international business thought and literature: A review of international market entry mode research: Integration and synthesis

Although entry mode strategy has traditionally been a central topic of research in international business, it is only recently that integrated research frameworks have developed. Largely in response to the dynamic reconfiguration of global business, these new insights from channel management, global strategy, alliances, and political economy have infused new perspectives into entry mode research. This article reviews and synthesizes this literature. Within an over-arching classificatory framework, central themes and sub-themes within this body of literature are identified and their inter-linkages investigated. The evolutionary process of entry mode research is examined. The article concludes with directions for future research and the need to integrate entry mode research with partnering strategies.     

The vulnerable healthcare consumer: an interpretive synthesis of the patient experience literature

The increased policy emphasis on the ‘patient experience’ places the health consumer in centre stage as the driver for healthcare delivery. This poses challenges for service providers to meet the needs of more vulnerable groups, notably those with disabilities, who are often more likely to be both in greater need of services and, at the same time, less able to access them. This paper reports an interpretive synthesis of qualitative research studies in the UK and US on the experience of vulnerable patient groups using a broad range of health services. An interpretive review method was adopted to capture the complexity of the data. Eighteen papers were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria for the review. Seven key themes were identified: life experience, service design, point of delivery, accessibility, availability, specialist education/training and consumer typology. Although policy makers and providers often refer to the need for greater consumerism in the development of health services, our review suggests that it may be appropriate to consider a model of ‘mediated consumerism’ for some groups of service users. While some concerns are common to both mainstream and vulnerable consumers, others such as accessibility of services, and the resulting experience of health care, are particular to specific vulnerable groups. Accessing the experiences of these more vulnerable groups therefore warrants close attention in the development of both policy and practice in health service delivery.     

Toward a Better Understanding of the Link Between Ethical Climate and Job Satisfaction: A Multilevel Analysis

Research concerning the relationship between psychological ethical climate and job satisfaction is popular in the literature. However, to date, no study in the literature has simultaneously investigated both the effects of individual-level and organization-level ethical climates on employees’ job satisfaction. On the basis of a multilevel analysis, the present study used a sample of 472 full-time employees from 31 organizations in Taiwan to examine the above two effects. Results from the analyses showed that within the organizations, individual employees’ instrumental climate perceptions were negatively related to job satisfaction, whereas their caring climate perceptions and rules climate perceptions were positively related to job satisfaction. Also, the results indicated that between organizations, organizational instrumental climate was negatively related to job satisfaction, whereas organizational caring, independence, and rules climates were positively related to job satisfaction. Implications for research and managerial practices were derived from these findings.     

ADS-B接收机自动测试系统的设计与实现

为实现广播式自动相关监视（ADS-B）接收机性能参数自动测试,开发设计了ADS-B接收机的自动测试系统。系统由ADS-B射频信号生成和上位机组成,采用了现场可编程门阵列（FPGA）和单片机MSP430实现ADS-B射频信号的生成;采用C#语言编写上位机程序,实现了对接收机灵敏度和接收机带宽等关键技术指标的自动测试。最后,搭建了某款ADS-B接收机的测试系统。测试结果表明,该系统测试效率高,运行稳定且易操作,可满足对ADS-B接收机的性能测试与故障检查需要。     

Understanding subsistence marketplaces: Toward sustainable consumption and commerce for a better world

This article provides the background and the events leading up to this special issue, and the composition of articles that follow. This special issue includes articles that take a bottom-up approach in understanding and explaining subsistence marketplaces, focusing on individual, communal, and cultural factors that influence consumers and entrepreneurs who live at or near subsistence, and who comprise a majority of the world's population. This bottom-up focus is distinct and complementary to the macro-level economic development and mid-level business strategy (e.g., base of the pyramid) approaches to the role of business in poverty alleviation. This special issue consists largely of papers based on presentations at the second subsistence marketplace conference held in Chicago in 2008, with articles and essays reflecting a healthy commingling of disciplinary perspectives that cuts across social and commercial enterprises.     

多模终端测试平台的搭建及仿真实现

为了改善现有终端测试平台的调试能力差、自动化功能不足和测试环境不真实等缺点,搭建了新的基于TTCN-3（Testing and Test Control Notation version 3)测试系统的多模终端无线资源管理（RRM）一致性测试平台,设计了关于多小区异系统测量过程的测试方案,根据该方案进行仿真,自动生成测试流程图和测试结果报告,不仅说明了多模终端的测量功能符合3GPP（3rd Generation Partnership Project）协议要求,而且有效验证了所搭建终端测试平台的合理性与优越性。