Embeddedness of innovation receivers in the multinational corporation: Effects on business performance

This paper investigates how relationship embeddedness in MNC subsidiaries’ corporate and external networks influences the contribution of innovation transfer to the recipient subsidiary's business performance. OLS regressions using data on the intra-MNC transfer of 224 innovations indicate that the embeddedness of a subsidiary's relationships in the corporate and external network positively affects the received innovation's contribution to business performance. More detailed analysis demonstrates that the positive link between a subsidiary's embeddedness in the external network and the contribution to business performance of receiving an innovation is negatively affected when the innovation is unique compared with other innovations on the market.     

Social influence on salespeople’s adoption of sales technology: a multilevel analysis

The implementation of sales force automation applications (SFA) often fails owing to the lack of adoption by salespeople. Previous studies investigating drivers of salespeople’s SFA adoption have mainly scrutinized predictors on the level of salespeople (within-level analysis). Hence, these studies have mostly neglected the social influence of coworkers’ and superiors’ SFA adoption on salespeople’s SFA adoption. We introduce a new perspective using a multilevel framework of SFA adoption at several hierarchical levels. The findings demonstrate that coworkers’ and superiors’ SFA adoption has a positive effect on subordinates’ SFA adoption which goes beyond the commonly tested determinants. Also, results reveal differences among predictors of the Technology Acceptance Model (within-level effects) examined at three different hierarchical levels.     

Alternative Defaultable Term Structure Models

The objective of this paper is to consider defaultable term structure models in a general setting beyond standard risk-neutral models. Using as numeraire the growth optimal portfolio, defaultable interest rate derivatives are priced under the real-world probability measure. Therefore, the existence of an equivalent risk-neutral probability measure is not required. In particular, the real-world dynamics of the instantaneous defaultable forward rates under a jump-diffusion extension of a HJM type framework are derived. Thus, by establishing a modelling framework fully under the real-world probability measure, the challenge of reconciling real-world and risk-neutral probabilities of default is deliberately avoided, which provides significant extra modelling freedom. In addition, for certain volatility specifications, finite dimensional Markovian defaultable term structure models are derived. The paper also demonstrates an alternative defaultable term structure model. It provides tractable expressions for the prices of defaultable derivatives under the assumption of independence between the discounted growth optimal portfolio and the default-adjusted short rate. These expressions are then used in a more general model as control variates for Monte Carlo simulations of credit derivatives. Nicola Bruti-Liberati: In memory of our beloved friend and colleague.     

美国银行 何处是谷底？

在全世界的焦虑和担忧中，人们更为关心的是美国银行还有多久才能重现生机？     

Does strategic involvement of mental health service users and carers in the planning,design and commissioning of mental health services lead to better outcomes?

There is an assumption, explicit in the current government policy, that involvement of mental health service users and carers in the planning, design and commissioning of mental health services will lead to better outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine evidence from board‐level participation of service users and carers that might support this assumption. A thematic analysis of documents generated by a strategic Lancashire Mental Health and Social Care Partnership during 2007 was undertaken. Themes for the analysis were generated from priorities identified from a postal survey of mental health services users from across Lancashire. The findings indicate that whilst service user and carer involvement is a high priority, the Lancashire Partnership spent most of its time discussing process and actions. Where service user involvement resulted in better outcomes, these improved outcomes were limited to the individual service users involved, rather than better outcomes for all service users. Whilst the membership of mental health service users and carers on the Lancashire Partnership Board presents a visible commitment from senior officers and may confer greater legitimacy to the decisions made by the Lancashire Partnership, service users and carers do not appear to play the desired instrumental role. Rather, their presence may be largely symbolic. This sends out the message across the health and social care system that partnership with service users and carers and their empowerment is important and has the potential to evolve further.     

是否会成为下一个贝尔斯登雷曼兄弟 边遮羞边自救

超出诸多悲观分析师预计亏损额的3倍，让雷曼这家金融巨头蒙羞；一边遮羞一边自救的策略，又让雷曼饱受华尔街的非议。已经遭受冰山撞击的它，会沉没吗？     

Medien des Web 2.0 — Chance oder Risiko im Kundendialog?

Zusammenfassung  Der moderne Konsument bedient sich aus einem weitreichenden Spektrum von Web 2.0-Werkzeugen, die er gezielt und mit nachhaltiger Wirkung zur ?u?erung seiner Wünsche und Bedürfnisse einsetzen kann. Für das Kundenmanagement wirft das die Frage auf, wie die neuen Medienformen eingesetzt werden k?nnen und welche Chancen und Risiken dabei bestehen. Der Beitrag beleuchtet die zentralen Einflussfaktoren, zeigt Einsatzpotenziale der wichtigsten Instrumente für den Kundendialog auf und erg?nzt sie um die aktuelle Einsch?tzung von Marketingexperten aus der Praxis. Jan Boluminski Gesch?ftsführer der Client Vela GmbH, einem Unternehmen der Schweizerischen Post. Susanne Karlein Partner der Client Vela GmbH, einem Unternehmen der Schweizerischen Post. Christina N?tscher Senior Consultant der Client Vela GmbH, einem Unternehmen der Schweizerischen Post.     

Rapid Situation Analysis: a hybrid,multi-methods,qualitative, participatory approach to researching tourism development phenomena

This study develops a hybrid, bottom-up approach to field research, namely Rapid Situation Analysis, and implements it in Ghana. It draws on elements from two existing participatory methodological approaches: Rapid Rural Appraisal and Participatory Rural Appraisal. The approach was developed to suit the particular needs of investigating corporate social responsibility practices, sustainable development and poverty reduction through tourism, a fragmented sector which tends to be ambiguous and unstructured and lack cohesion (unlike, for example, agriculture or primary health care, both of which are familiar territory for Rapid Rural Appraisal and Participatory Rural Appraisal). The Rapid Situation Analysis bottom-up approach to data gathering was underpinned by supporting methods, including participant and direct observation, in-depth interviews, stakeholder focus groups and informal conversations. Moreover, the multiple methods were further enriched by the collection of visual data in the form of moving and still images. These research findings were fed back to the communities at the centre of the research.