The engine of evaluative inquiry: Social learning processes

Although originated in the 1990s, few empirical studies exist that examine the Evaluative Inquiry model, particularly, the social learning processes within the model. This study examined the social learning processes that represent the forms of communication that drive learning within the Evaluative Inquiry model: dialog, reflection, asking questions and identifying and challenging values, beliefs, assumptions and knowledge. Results indicated that social learning processes promoted individual and team learning, as well as provided the beginnings of organizational learning. In addition, results confirmed that dialog served as the central process through which all other social learning processes occur. Our findings present a new conceptualization of the social learning processes at the center of the Evaluative Inquiry model.     

Multi-party international joint ventures: Multiple post-formation change processes

Research on multi-party IJVs has been limited to a static context. Little attention has been paid to analyzing dynamic post-formation change processes. This study investigates the evolving influences of multi-party IJV complexity on performance in a dynamic context where the multi-party IJV goes through multiple waves of structural change. Using a static context, some previous studies found support for a negative impact of multi-party complexity on performance, while others did not. Analyzing 2652 multi-party IJVs over a period of 17 years, we attempt to reconcile previous work by investigating whether there is a threshold beyond which the negative impact of multi-party complexity on performance becomes salient.     

Encouraging Growth and Stability

When significant government action is needed and sought, as in the current financial crisis and weak economy, it is easy to forget the underlying market principles that have made the U.S. economy the strongest in the world. Adherence to these principles is the surest path to continued economic growth and stability over the long run. Of particular importance are policies that allow flexibility in labor markets; free movement of capital, unimpeded by excessive regulation; tax rates that minimize disincentives for the development of human and physical capital; and liberalization of international flows of goods, services, and capital. Regarding the current credit crisis, its effect on the real economy has been amplified by falling asset prices and high oil prices. Policy will be continuously evolving, but the $700 billion stabilization package is an important step. Presented at the National Association for Business Economics 50th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., October 7, 2008     

Developing learning capabilities through a quality management program

This study examines the development of learning capabilities through the implementation of a quality management program in services, based on a case study of transplantation management. The findings show how the introduction of an online system, based on a quality management program, underpinned the knowledge-building capacity of the organization. The results contribute to service literature by addressing how a quality management program links to organizational learning process directly and through building-up organizational knowledge. The implementation of a quality management program allows knowledge building through identification and socialization of tacit knowledge and combination of explicit knowledge. The development of learning capabilities fostered by the introduction of this program occurs under conditions that contribute to the building-up of organizational knowledge. Organizational learning is enhanced during this implementation through an incremental process that detects errors and corrects behavior and/or alters organizations premises, standards and values. This organizational learning helps to upgrade the overall process.     

Beyond learning by experience: The use of alternative learning processes by incrementally and rapidly internationalizing SMEs

How firms learn about foreign markets and internationalization processes is an important theme in the literature on SME internationalization, evidenced by the Uppsala model’s emphasis on experiential learning as an explanation for incremental internationalization, and attempts to explain how early and rapid internationalization can be facilitated by alternative modes of learning, especially congenital learning. Yet, the learning processes used, and the content and source of learning, have not been compared systematically, especially with respect to how these evolve as firms become increasingly internationalized. This paper reports the findings of a retrospective longitudinal analysis of the learning processes, sources and foci of four New Zealand-based SMEs that internationalized incrementally, and four that internationalized rapidly. The findings demonstrate that while experiential learning is important, both incrementally and rapidly internationalizing firms use other learning modes at different stages of their internationalization, and that there are differences in the content and source of learning. Thus, the relationship between internationalization and learning processes may be more complex than the literature currently suggests, inviting further exploration of the multiple ways that SMEs learn, and the contingent factors that might influence this.     

Embracing change: a leadership model for the learning organisation

Accelerating environmental change has allowed theorists and practitioners to envision an organisational entity known as the learning organisation. The phrase ‘learning organisation’ has existed in the literature for several decades. More than other writers, Senge has popularised the term in the 1990s. However, other writers have made significant contributions to this topic. Woolner, for example, developed a model that identified five distinct stages through which organisations progress on the way to becoming learning organisations. A needed link in the literature should portray a model of leadership and the stages of a learning organisation. The model proposed by this author utilises the three leadership behaviours of visioning, empowerment, and leading-learning, and is offered as a catalyst for improved practice as well as food for thought for researchers who aspire to build theoretical relationships between the topics.     

Encouraging capital flows to developing countries

What policies can encourage the movement of capital from saving-surplus countries to developing countries? Instead of pursuing grandiose schemes of international coordination, industrial countries can reduce government deficits and keep inflation low. Developing countries can adopt policies that attract rather than repel private foreign capital.     

Overseas Investment, Encouraging Long Journey

In the context of the financial crisis, international capital flows, cross-border investment, as well as the mergers and acquisitions generally continues shrinking at a large range in 2009, while China's foreign investment and overseas cooperation still maintains a good momentum of devclopment.     

Overseas Investment,Encouraging Long Jonrney

In the context of the financial crisis, international capital flows, cross-border investment, as well as the mergers and acquisitions generally continues shrinking at a large range in 2009, while China's foreign investment and overseas cooperation still maintains a good momentum of development.     

How store managers can empower their teams to engage in constructive deviance: Theory development through a multiple case study

In this paper, we explore how leaders enable constructive deviance in teams they manage. We report on a qualitative field study of two hierarchical layers of store management in 17 supermarket store teams. We focus on the emergence of constructive deviance – better ways of creating value by departing from common ways of working – and how store leaders can enable this behavior. Our inductive analysis from the multiple case data suggests that store management can enable constructive deviance by combining empowering leadership behaviors with adequate levels of contingent reward and monitoring behaviors. These findings allow us to develop new hypotheses about the linkages between constructive deviance, psychological empowerment, and leadership. We detail implications for store management and we describe several future research opportunities on the concept of constructive deviance, its enablement through empowering leadership, and the relationship between organizational norms and constructive deviance.     

再论积极鼓励消费

十八年前,我曾写过一篇短文:"积极鼓励消费",提出:"要发展生产,搞活经济,就必须充分发挥消费在社会再生产中的作用.应该鼓励消费,而不应该限制消费","由于消费的扩展……就会出现这样一种良性循环:居民收入的增长--居民需求的上升--居民消费的提高--消费资料生产的发展--生产资料生产的发展--整个国民经济的发展--居民收入的增长……".[1]十多年来,随着社会主义市场经济的发展,出现一些新情况、新问题,说明更需要鼓励消费.因此再提出一些意见,以供讨论.     

Hierarchical representations of market structures and choice processes through preference trees

Two ways of representing market structures in hierarchical forms are discussed and compared. The better-known method, hierarchical clustering of similarity measures derived from aggregate brand-switching probabilities, has three drawbacks. First, the aggregate-level switching probabilities may not be representative of the majority of the individuals; therefore, inferences made about individual or segmental behavior can be misleading. Second, regardless of the level of aggregation, it is not possible to infer the choice process from typical purchase data. Finally, in this example, this method produces a tree that is driven largely by the brands with small market shares. The other method, preference-tree analysis, models brand-choice behavior as a hierarchical elimination process. The parameters of the model are estimated from the way that relative brand-choice probabilities change as the choice set is varied. Preference-tree analysis, which requires paired-comparison preference data, is shown to eliminate the drawbacks observed with hierarchical clustering.     

Encouraging Non-governmental Investment in the Next Year

Related department of the State recentlyproclaimed that active financial policywould continue to be adopted next year,Owing to investment increases and internationaloil price rises this year, part of production materialswitnesses their prices rising, thus surely affectingprices next year. Many people feel suspiciouswhether the active financial policy can work wellnext year. For the problem, a reporter of the "FastNewspaper" offered special visit to Mr. LiuGuoguang, a well-known economist in …     

Encouraging male participation in cancer resource centers

ABSTRACT

This research investigates reasons why male cancer patients may refrain from patronizing cancer resource centers. By drawing upon a wide range of research from the social sciences and visual design literatures, the authors put forth original propositions that suggest how cancer resource center managers can manipulate a center's servicescape, or built environment, as well as its service offerings, website design, and printed communications to attract more male cancer patients. Despite the inherent challenges of discussing gender in cancer care and limitations to its generalizability in all settings, this research reveals that differences exist regarding the way men and women respond to cancer resource center marketing initiatives. Given the profound benefits that cancer resource centers often assume in a cancer patient's life, including a decreased mortality rate, we encourage service marketing and public health researchers, as well as cancer resource center directors, to consider the propositions put forth in this paper.     

The influence of cultural differences in cooperative learning through joint ventures

This study analyzes the influence on interorganizational learning attributed to differences in organizational cultures of partnering firms, through joint ventures. We attempt to carry out an in-depth analysis into the type of influences involved and whether they are positive or negative, or if they foster or hinder learning. We analyze a sample consisting of firms that had entered into a joint venture and then contrasted our hypotheses against the sample using structural equations. The results confirm the existence of a degree of influence and conclude that this influence is positive for this type of learning.