Passive Firm Learning and Employment Projection Error

This paper analyzes establishment error in estimating employment targets in business startups and expansions. Passive firm learning models provide a testable hypothesis that, other things being equal, old establishments more accurately predict future employment targets than young businesses. Empirical evidence from 442 Ohio establishments implies that an increase of ten years in establishment age is associated with a decrease in employment projection error rate of between 11 and 13 percentage points.     

Re-integrating the central Asian republics into the world economy

The dissolution of the former Soviet Union (FSU) and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) out of the former Soviet Republics has seen the creation of a number of new independent countries in Central Asia. These six Republics —Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—are, albeit to different degrees, only at the beginning of the historic process of transformation from a command to a predominantly competitive market-based economic system. This paper¹ will survey the prospects for industrial development and the challenges for enterprise restructuring, privatization and private sector development in four of the republics: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan.     

Business Survival and the Decision to Exit

The decision to exit is examined for a cohort of over 12,000 plants established in 1976. Using a longitudinal data base, the performance of the establishments is analysed over the subsequent 10 years. The empirical evidence suggests that start-up size, ownership status, and the industry environment affect the likelihood of a start -up subsequently exiting. Plants with more employees during the start -up year are found to have a lower likelihood of exit than do smaller plants. Similarly, establishnwnts which are independent are found to have a lower likelihood of exit within the following years than do newly created establishments belonging to a multi-plant firm. However, the determinants of exit apparently vary along with the age of the establishment. Innovative activity is found to raise the likelihood of establishment exit in the short run but lower it in the longer run.     

The Effect of Dissolution Intention on Buyer–Seller Relationships

While relationships dissolve for a variety of reasons, many dissolve due to issues with the relationship itself. However, much of the research in marketing focuses on the bright side of relationships and neglects its dark side. In this article we focus on one aspect of the dark side—the effects of the intent of a party to exit from a relationship. Research on dissolution has primarily examined it as an outcome variable. Thus, the question of how dissolution intent, once formed, affects subsequent behavior has not been given much attention. We investigate the consequences of dissolution intention, such as increasing opportunism and decreasing cooperation and the mediating effects of transaction-specific investments. The model is tested using a sample survey of newspaper agents in Korea. Results indicate that dissolution intention increases opportunism and negatively affects cooperation. Transaction-specific investments diminish the effect of dissolution intention on opportunism and cooperation.     

Examining the Longevity of New Agency Accounts: A Comparative Study of U.S. and U.K. Advertising Experiences

Abstract

Since the typical account longevity is short, agencies should anticipate their likelihood of loss, seek to forestall and invest in their client relationships. A model is proposed for examining account lifetimes, which can offer guidance on the likely retention of future accounts. The impact of agency structural characteristics on longevity is also examined, and compared for both U.S. and U.K. markets. Results for both markets indicate that cumulative account dissolution increases at a decreasing rate over time. Greater account longevity is associated with larger agency size (both in terms of agency billings and employees), and agency age but not with stability of billings growth. Evidence suggests that several structural characteristics of agencies reflect the motivation and / or ability to maintain accounts.     

关系营销理论与顾客关系管理

关系营销将建立和发展与相关个人、企业组织的关系作为市场营销的关键变量 ,把握了现代市场竞争的时代特点 ,体现了电子商务时代的互动性、合作性和个性化发展趋势。因特网作为一种有效的双向沟通渠道 ,使企业与顾客之间可以实现低成本、高效率的沟通和交流 ,为关系营销提供了有效的技术保障。在电子商务时代 ,抢占市场的关键已从管理营销组合转变为企业与顾客的互动关系管理 ,顾客关系管理为关系营销提供了有效的技术支持     

Survival of high tech firms: The effects of diversity of product–market portfolios, patents, and trademarks

High tech firms can mitigate potential risks by diversifying their product–market portfolios. A key research question is how such diversification influences firm survival. A firm exits the market in two ways, specifically, dissolution and acquisition. Here, we model how the diversity of a new firm's product–market portfolio influences the times to both types of exits. Specifically, we allow for interaction effects of the competitive intensity of a firm's environment and the diversity of a firm's product–market portfolio with its patents and trademarks. Using a competing risk hazard model, we estimate the effects of various covariates on the time to exit for 1435 US high tech firms.We observed that a more diverse product–market portfolio, in conjunction with a larger number of patents, hastens the time to a firm's exit by dissolution (9% decrease in survival duration), while in conjunction with a larger number of trademarks, portfolio diversity delays the time to exit by dissolution (12% increase). A more competitive firm environment results in a greater effect on the portfolio's diversity in delaying its exit by dissolution (7% increase). On the other hand, a diverse product–market portfolio, combined with either a larger number of patents or trademarks, hastens the firm's exit by acquisition (19% and 11% decrease respectively).     

The Survival and Growth of New Establishments in Sweden, 1987-1995

The aim of the study is to examine the survival of new establishments and to identify factors affecting their survival probability and their employment growth.This study uses a unique data set on all new establishments that were created in Sweden 1987 and 1988, with the exception of the construction industry. The results show among others that:(i) new establishments face a high risk of closing down, (ii) the probability of establishment survival increases with the age and size of the establishment,(iii) variables that are assumed to measure access to resources (being a part of a multi-unit firm,and being new due to merger or dispersal) have a positive effect on survival, (iv) the number of employees at the start- up year has a negative effect on the employment growth, and (v) demographic and educational factors are important in explaining survival and growth.     

服务业与综合国力的关系

当今世界已经进入服务经济时代.服务经济时代的服务业就是现代服务业.现代服务业的基本特征是,先进的科学技术,丰富的文化内涵,合理的产业结构.在国民经济中,它具有经济增长力、生产推动力、产业协调力、劳动吸纳力、社会凝聚力、形象感召力、设施承载力、安全保障力,极大地提高综合国力.     

浅析我国公司司法解散的现实问题——以《杨虎诉李玉德、天津腾德化工有限公司解散公司案》引出

我国《公司法》在公司解散方面的立法尚处初步阶段,存在需要完善的地方,在处理现实司法问题的过程中也往往会存在一定争议.本文以一起现实案例为引,对我国公司司法解散所存在的现实问题进行分析,并提出一定改进建议.     

The impact of partner diversity within multiparty international joint ventures

Despite the significant role that multiparty international joint ventures (MPIJVs) play within multinational enterprises, we know little about the significant challenges associated with the management of these ventures. Therefore, we combine the Resource-based View of the Firm and Transaction Cost Economics to investigate the effects of the key aspects of partner diversity (i.e., variety, balance, and disparity) on MPIJV dissolution. We test our hypotheses using a dataset of 248 MPIJVs in China. We find empirical support for a U-curve shaped effect of variety and a negative linear effect of balance on MPIJV dissolution.     

Establishment exits in Germany: the role of size and age

Using comprehensive data for West Germany, this paper investigates the determinants of establishment exit. We find that between 1975 and 2006 the average exit rate has risen considerably. In order to test various “liabilities” of establishment survival identified in the literature, we analyzed the impact of establishment size and put a special focus on differences between young and mature establishments. Our empirical analysis shows that the mortality risk falls with establishment size, which confirms the liability of smallness. The probability of exit is substantially higher for young establishments which are not more than 5 years old, thus confirming the liability of newness. There also exists a liability of aging since exit rates first decline over time, reaching a minimum at ages 15–18, and then rise again somewhat. The determinants of exit differ substantially between young and mature establishments, suggesting that young establishments are more vulnerable in a number of ways.     

企业纵向战略联盟组建影响因素分析——基于我国上市公司的实证研究

本文以我国沪深两地145家上市公司为样本,对企业纵向战略联盟组建的影响因素进行了分析。结果表明:企业的发展战略、规模水平和企业高级管理者对纵向战略联盟的组建呈显著正相关;在控制住行业类别变量后,研究结果表明不同行业类别对纵向战略联盟组建的影响也存在显著性差异。     

Exploring the post-termination stage of consumer–brand relationships: An empirical investigation of the premium car market

This research extends customer lifecycle models to include a post-termination stage that bridges the dissolution stage of a consumer–brand relationship with a potential recovery stage. Drawing from 43 depth interviews with former customers of a car brand, this study relies on grounded theory and triangulation to explore consumer responses in the post-termination stage and finds evidence for both negative and positive customer responses after dissolution. The authors combine qualitative techniques with categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) to explore the dimensionality of post-termination responses and extract relationship-related and termination-related response dimensions. They use these dimensions to identify four distinct post-termination customer clusters, which differ systematically with the customer's termination reasons, as demonstrated through a series of exact logistic regressions. In addition to providing evidence of a post-termination stage, this study offers implications for customer relationship management.     

The Role of Brand Detachment on the Dissolution of the Relationship Between the Consumer and the Brand

Given the growing role of affective factors in consumer behaviour and particularly on brand loyalty, the deterioration of these factors can provide an additional explanation of the dissolution of the relationship between the brand and the consumer. A new concept, brand detachment, was developed in marketing research to enhance understanding of the dissolution process of the relationship between brands and consumers. Brand detachment results from the dissolution of the affective bond existing between a brand and a consumer and can be seen as an attitudinal aspect of the dissolution process of certain relationships. After conceptualizing brand detachment, the results of a quantitative study (N=434, use of regression analysis) allow this concept to be used as an indicator of the consumer's propensity to end the relationship with the brand. Thus brand detachment has a negative influence on the consideration of the brand and the consumer's subsequent buying behaviour in relation to it.     

Air Afrique: the demise of a continental icon

Although the rationale for multi-flag airlines' formation is rooted in contemporary strategic thinking, our understanding of their emergence and subsequent mass disappearances in the twentieth century remains an elusive issue. This article seeks to fill this void by examining the emergence, ascendency and demise of Air Afrique, an airline once seen as a symbol of regional integration in Africa. This examination takes a historical perspective and covers the period from 1961 to 2002. On the basis of this historical analysis, five distinct stages have been identified reflecting the firm's glorious days, precipitous decline and subsequent collapse. These are: the golden age; Africanisation; escalating indecision, escalating commitment and dissolution phases. Each phase provides insights into the deterministic and voluntaristic perspectives of organisational failure. The implications of the findings of this research for theory and practice are discussed.     

The Dissolution of Ethical Decision-Making in Organizations: A Comprehensive Review and Model

The purpose of this research is to present the major factors that lead to ethical dissolution in an organization. Specifically, drawing from a wide spectrum of sources, this study explores the impact of organizational, individual, and contextual factors that converge to contribute to ethical dissolution. Acknowledging that ethical decisions are, in the final analysis, made by individuals, this study presents a model of ethical dissolution that gives insight into how a variety of elements coalesce to draw individuals into decisions that result in the ethical undoing of an otherwise healthy organization. ENRON, TYCO and WorldCom did not happen in a vacuum. Nor can such debacles be explained as simply one or two individuals who were morally corrupt. The ethical breakdowns that occurred in these companies happened over a period of time, involved numerous individuals both inside and outside of the organization, and brought about the implosion of viable companies. Seeking to extend the work of previous researchers, this study attempts to tie together a disparate set of factors into a cohesive explanation of ethical breakdowns in organizations.     

论浙商的转型与非经济因素

在改革开放的时代,浙商通过产业结构升级、管理体制转型、社会责任感增强等方面的变动,崭新的浙商形象已经开始显现,并逐步得到社会的认同。本文考察了浙商的成长及其转型,认为非经济因素对浙商崛起与形象重塑发挥了巨大的作用;研究这一现象,不仅有助于认识当代浙商的新形象,而且对中国的经济社会发展也有重要的启示。     

Work force ageing and expanding service sector: a double burden on productivity?

Expansion of the service sector has often been considered as a threat to aggregate productivity. We examine whether work force ageing is a cause of further concern in the service sector, using matched employer–employee data from Finland. The results show hump-shaped relationships between average age of the work force and establishment productivity. The results vary somewhat across different service industries (hotels and restaurants, trade, transportation, and business services). The conclusion is that there is some worry about a double burden from ageing of the work force and expansion of the low-productivity service sector, especially in the labour-intensive, low-skill fields.     

物流公司解散法理与制度设计

公司解散涉及到市场主体的退出机制,是个重要的法律问题和实务问题。但长期以来不太为人所重视,因而存有种种的法律漏洞,在实务中常常被不法商人所利用得以逃避法律责任,严重损害了市场的诚信机制。本文以物流公司为例,深入探讨公司解散的基本原理,并比较借鉴外国公司法的有效制度,以期对完善我国公司解散制度有所裨益。