Designing a competency-based human resources organization

New organizing factors are emerging as human resources professionals seek performance breakthroughs, with process and competency emerging as key factors in determining how the HR function is organized. While the process focus rides the wave of interest in total quality management and reengineering, a growing number of organizations see competence as the key to enduring performance and to making HR most effective. This article combines experience from the authors' work with some emerging possibilities to describe a competency-based approach for designing a high performing HR organization. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The differential impact on stockholder wealth of various antitakeover provisions

This paper examines the relationship between the passage of six types of corporate antitakeover provisions (supermajority, classified boards, fair-price, reduction in cumulative voting, anti-greenmail and poison pills) and stockholder wealth. Our event study from a sample of 381 firms that adopted 486 antitakeover provisions in the 1984 to 1988 period indicates a strongly negative effect on stockholder wealth, supporting the management entrenchment view of the antitakeover provisions. Moreover, the empirical results of this paper indicate that the market reacts equally negatively to both non-operating provisions that require stockholder approval and to operating provisions that do not require stockholder approval. However, separate analyses of the antitakeover provisions provide some support for the argument that stockholders discriminate between individual provisions.     

Global corporate environmentalism: Theoretical expectations and empirical experience

Since the mid-1980s the concept of corporate environmentalism has taken hold among global stakeholders, promising improved environmental health and safety (EH&S) performance at multinational (MNC) facilities in less developed countries. In this article we examine corporate environmentalism through two lenses: (1) our own empirical case studies of three Third World subsidiaries of USA-based multinationals; (2) evolving theories on EH&S performance at MNC subsidiaries in less developed countries. We suggest that over the past decade there has been a convergence of three theoretical perspectives – neoclassical, radical and ecological – toward consistent predictions of improved EH&S performances and relations with host country governments. However, important differences among the three perspectives remain in how each interprets improved EH&S performance in the context of long-term benefits to corporations, host countries, workers, local publics and the global community. While we find that the neoclassical economic perspective is most consistent with the empirical findings of our three case studies, we also note some debatable neoclassical assumptions concerning whether all stakeholders benefit mutually from superior EH&S performance. In order to gain wide acceptance beyond the corporate sector, the concept of corporate environmentalism must be expanded to include greater labor participation and accounting for ecological interests.     

Safe storage of dilute ethylene oxide mixtures in water

In the past industry has had to rely on a number of “rules of thumb” to provide a means of reasonable analysis for many design, operation, safety and similar issues. The lack of readily available computing facilities made the use of “rules of thumb” a necessary part of doing business in the hydrocarbon processing industry. And these “rules of thumb” have proven useful and allowed many tasks to be accomplished successfully. Today, however, availability of mainframe computers or desktop computing facilities has provided a tool that has decreased the need to rely on “rules of thumb.” And in many cases processing improvements can only be accomplished by replacing “rules of thumb” with more rigorous analysis. In the ethylene oxide producing/consuming industry a widely-used “rule of thumb” concerns the storage of ethylene oxide water solutions. A well-publicized “rule” stated that solutions in excess of 1-2 weight percent ethylene oxide in water should not be stored [1]. This “rule” is certainly valid in many situations. However, this guideline may be unnecessarily restrictive in other cases. The impact of several key process parameters impacts the amount of ethylene oxide in water than can be safely stored. This study will show that higher concentrations of ethylene oxide in water can be safely stored under the right circumstances. The study will also discuss the key variables that determine whether aqueous ethylene oxide solutions can be safely stored. Finally, a methodology used in determining how much ethylene oxide in water can be safely stored will be outlined.     

Research engagement,impact and sustainable tourism

In this editorial, we reflect on how the Journal of Sustainable Tourism can contribute towards sustainable tourism researchers achieving more impact with their research. We propose some changes that can be tested in, and introduced gradually and collaboratively with, the community of the editorial board and authors. To support impactful mind sets, we will promote research that reflects diverse academic communities. To promote impactful research topics, we will encourage authors to frame their submitted articles against the Sustainable Development Goals, while research that is time sensitive will be fast tracked so it can contribute to current debates. To promote impactful methodologies, we shall favour articles that use mixed methods and action research, and those that conduct longitudinal, experimental, and evaluative research. To promote impactful partnerships, we will favour multidisciplinary approaches and research that has been co-created with stakeholders. To promote impactful communication and dissemination, we will continue to build an online community on social media for sustainable tourism researchers, we will promote articles in social media to raise their visibility, and we will provide free access to those articles that are deemed to have the greatest potential to impact positively on society.     

Chefs and suppliers: An exploratory look at supply chain issues in an upscale restaurant alliance

This paper examines some basic issues associated with supply chains in the context of acquiring local ingredients as part of producing a culinary tourism experience. Based on data collected from Executive Chefs at Relais & Châteaux restaurants through surveys and personal interviews, the authors document producer-to-chef relationships, why and how local ingredients are featured in menu listings, and how chefs communicate their use of local ingredients to their guests. The results also describe chefs’ beliefs about the use of local ingredients, as well as potential issues related to the use of suppliers and their perceptions of their guests’ expectations for their meals.     

Assessing the growth-inducing impact of the Appalachian Development Highway System in southern Ohio: Did policy promote change?

The concept of “inducing growth” is typically considered an adverse consequence of a project on the land use system. In certain instances, however, the desire to induce growth and foster land use change is a focus of land use policy. Such is the example of the Appalachian Highway Development System (AHDS) program initiated by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) during the late 1960s. With the goal of providing highway infrastructure to improve assess to a geographically isolated and historically impoverished region, the ADHS has added nearly 3000 miles of highway to the Appalachian landscape. The degree to which highway investment has contributed to regional growth remains a controversial point and tractable methods to quickly assess landscape change given a project of this magnitude are elusive. In this paper a portion of the AHDS trending through southern Ohio is examined using data acquired from the Landsat series of satellites. Beginning with a pre-highway condition in 1976, a 26 year time horizon, concluding in 2002, was analyzed based on a post-classification change detection methodology. Results of this investigation revealed slight, yet significant, levels of urban expansion within a 10 km corridor along the path of AHDS Corridor D/State Route 32. Beyond this buffer zone the land use system evidenced more stability, suggesting that as distance increased from Corridor D/State Route 32, reduced accessibility also reduced the attractiveness of land for urban uses. Relating these results back to the infrastructure investment policies of the ARC demonstrates that growth did result from the construction of Corridor D and supports previous findings that land development based on highway construction is extremely time-sensitive.