Technology development mode: a transaction cost conceptualization

Technology alliances have emerged in the past decade as a significant mode for the development of innovation. The present research assesses the factors explaining whether firms will engage in such technology alliances or utilize the more traditional mode of internal R&D. The hypotheses stem from a transaction cost conceptualization. Results suggest that firms which pursue technology alliances are likely to have less commitment to product category-specific assets, to face higher technological uncertainty, to be more capable at measuring innovation performance, to have more successful technology alliance experiences, and to compete in lower growth product categories. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Le burn-out: Est-il une maladie?

Dans cet article on examine le concept de burn-out en regard de la nosographiepsychiatrique (notamment la dépression). Le burn-out ressemble à plusieurs diagnostics sans leur ětre assimilable, notamment, parce qu'il n'a pas de critères systématiques d'inclusion et d'exclusion de symptǒmes. Il n'est pas évident qu'il s'agisse d'un maladie spécifique, ni měme d'une maladie tout court. Le niveau de burn-out, tel que mesuré par les échelles, est en relation avec plusieurs caractéristiques organisationnelles: ǎge du travailleur conflit de rǒle, ambiguïté de rǒle, satisfaction au travail, style de leadership. Le burn-out a donc certainement une composante organisationnelle. Mais, son importance sociale semble suggérer une problématique récente quant au sens du travail. Abstract In this paper, the concept of burn-out is analyzed with regard to psychiatric nosography (depression more specifically). Burn-out is similar to several diagnoses without being included in them because it has no systematic criteria of exclusion or inclusion of symptoms. Moreover, it is not obvious that we are dealing with a specific illness or with an illness at all. The level of burn-out, as it is measured, is related to various organizational characteristics such as the age of the worker, role conflict, role ambiguity, professional satisfaction and style of leadership. Therefore, there is most certainly an organizational component in burn-out, but its social importance seems to suggest a recent problem relating to the meaning of work.     

Loan officer gender and loan repayment performance. Evidence from greenfield microfinance institutions in Cameroon1

We explore whether loan officer gender affects loan repayment performance in Cameroonian microfinance institutions (MFIs). After controlling for demand-side factors (borrower characteristics), lending methodology, loan contract terms, year, and industry fixed effects, we apply a pooled probit model to a unique loan-level dataset including more than 7000 loans approved between 2007 and 2012 by two Cameroonian commercial MFIs. We find that loans granted and monitored by male loan officers perform better than those granted by female officers and that loans approved under joint liability contracts and monitored by male loan officers are less likely to fall into arrears. Our findings also show that the performance advantage of male loan officers over female officers is confirmed only during bad times. Compared to female loan officers, male loan officers seem to intensify their monitoring efforts during a crisis period. The results are robust after controlling for selection bias and are less sensitive to a change in the loan repayment performance measurement.