Intraindustry Trade in Identical Products: a Portfolio Approach

In the traditional model, intraindustry trade in an identical product is driven by the profit margin each firm perceives in the rival market on the basis of Cournot conjectures. The authors demonstrate that when markets are stochastic and potentially correlated, benefits from diversification create added incentives for cross–hauling for risk–averse Cournot duopolists. The portfolio motive for cross–hauling makes the unusual pattern of trade a theoretically more robust phenomenon than has been recognized in the traditional models. The benefits from diversification can raise producer welfare in the intraindustry trade equlibrium, unlike in the deterministic model.     

BOND REFUNDING IN EFFICIENT MARKETS: A DYNAMIC ANALYSIS WITH TAX EFFECTS

This paper provides a dynamic analysis of the bond refunding problem in an efficient market setting with corporate taxes and transaction costs. A new methodology is developed to analyze the optimal exercise problem in the presence of imperfections. This analysis enables prediction of the effect of changes in corporate tax laws on the refunding decision. It also explains the empirical observation that bonds are often called when the bond price is below the call price.     

FORECASTING THE TREASURY BILL RATE: A TIME-VARYING COEFFICIENT APPROACH

In this paper a time-varying coefficient model is developed using a Kalman filter methodology to test the term structure of interest rates. Since the model is characterized by continuing revision of the estimates when new information arrives, it is capable of capturing the dynamic interest rate behavior, thereby increasing the forecasting accuracy of the future spot rates. With the constant expectations hypothesis rejected, the forecasting accuracy is substantially increased.     

Exploring the roles of self-concept and future memory at consumer events: the application of an extended Mehrabian–Russell model

This study aimed to extend Mehrabian and Russell’s stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework to consumer events. Physical environment and staff interaction were evaluated as stimuli which impact event attendees’ self-concept and memory (organism), and lead to behavioral intention (response). Data were collected from the surveys completed by 449 attendees of Armada event. The findings confirmed the impact of physical environment on self-concept and memory, as well as the mediation effect of memory between self-concept and behavioral intention. The study is a pioneer in the application of an extended S-O-R framework with the inclusion of memory.     

Perceived organizational change in the hotel industry: An implication of change schema

A schema, first proposed by Fiske and Taylor (1984), is a cognitive structure that represents organized knowledge on a given concept or type of stimulus. Lau and Woodman (1995) further explained that when an organization experiences changes, its members have various interpretations of and expectations for those changes. The cognitive understanding of change is guided by a mental map that represents the knowledge structures of the attributes of change and relationships between different events of change. This mental map refers to the so-called change schema (Lau and Woodman, 1995). The objectives of this study are to apply this change schema to organizational change in hotels, and to examine the antecedents and consequences of organizational change.     

The Performance Implications of Financial and Non‐Financial Rewards: An Asian Nordic Comparison

This study empirically investigated culture's consequences on employee perceptions of the performance implications of financial and non‐financial rewards. Using a sample (n = 568) drawn from the banking industry in Finland and Hong Kong, we found that although the effects and predictive capability of culture (i.e. masculinity–femininity, individualism–collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and power distance) offered some important insights, a range of other contextual factors (i.e. organizational, institutional, economic) wielded influence over and shaped reward–performance values, preferences, and behaviours. The emergence of these new paradigms necessitates that the US centric economic and behavioural theories (e.g. exchange) that underpin reward–performance be revisited and extended if they are to be applicable in the international context. Understanding the influence of a range of contextual forces is therefore critical to multinational organizations attempting to implement effective reward strategies aimed at achieving a diverse set of performance priorities. In addition to these novel theoretical and practical contributions, this study also paves the way for future research in this promising area of management studies.     

Software copyright infringement among college students

In recent years, the issue of infringement in the software industry has gained international attention as the demand for software continues to grow. The growing presence of unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted products inhibits full potential growth and discourages creative activity. This study analyses the extent of software copyright infringement among college students and attitudes of these students with regard to risk of apprehension and conviction. This study finds a significantly higher likelihood of infringement for computer majors and male students, and a decrease in the likelihood of infringement for older students. This study also uncovers differences in attitudes toward risk of apprehension and conviction between majors in scientific fields and those in business and economics. Whereas the first group of majors appears to exhibit risky behaviour, the latter tends to be more risk averse.     

Knowledge-oriented human resource configurations,the new product development learning process,and perceived new product performance

We propose a set of organizational efforts that can help companies accumulate and learn knowledge related to new product development (NPD) activities. We call it the NPD learning process and argue that a set of coherent human resource management (HRM) practices, termed knowledge-oriented human resource (HR) configuration, can facilitate the NPD learning process. Collecting survey data from Taiwan, we find that the knowledge-oriented HR configuration is positively related to the NPD learning process and that the NPD learning process is positively related to managers' perceived new product performance. This study contributes to the literature of strategic HRM and innovation management.