Revisions of labeling for personal watercraft: Part 1 – label development

This two-part paper presents a comprehensive case study related to the development and evaluation of warning labels. In particular, this two-part paper describes the development and evaluation of revised warning labels applicable to a class of products known as personal watercraft (PWCs), and serves as an example application of a general warnings design process described by Frantz et al. Part 1, presented in this paper, includes the process of project planning, identifying and analyzing hazards, and developing two preliminary warning labels to address PWC operational hazards. Included are discussions regarding the methods used to address problems frequently encountered in the development of warning labels. Topics of these discussions include the prioritization and selection of hazards to be addressed, message development strategies, avoiding information overload, and organizing the presentation of information using human factors models and concepts. The work conducted in Part 1 resulted in two preliminary labels: one label dealing with issues related to Collision Avoidance and a second label dealing with General Operational Hazards. Part 2, the companion article, describes the process of evaluating and revising the preliminary labeling to produce the final labels. Discussions regarding the methods used to address challenges related to the evaluation and revision of warning labels are provided. As a result of the entire process, revised labels for PWCs with increased uniformity will be used by PWC manufacturers, although flexibility for specific model features or future changes in design will be retained.     

Factors influencing strategic alliance outcomes in a manufacturing supply chain: Role of alliance motives,interdependence, asset specificity and relational capital

Integration of various theories is essential to completely understand and explain strategic alliances in a supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework by integrating the features of transaction cost theory, resource-based theory, contingency theory, social exchange theory, and Kelley's personal relationship theory and test the framework through empirical research. The present study addresses the impact of strategic alliance motives, environment, asset specificity, perception of opportunistic behavior, interdependence between supply chain partners, and relational capital on strategic alliance outcomes. Besides, the study has also tested the role of relational capital as a central mediating construct. A sample of 2156 companies representing different industries in manufacturing in Malaysia was selected for the distribution of questionnaire. We tested the structural model using structural equation modeling (SEM). Based on the results, we conclude the following significant relationships: (1) strategic alliance motives and perception of opportunistic behavior on interdependence and relational capital, (2) interdependence on relational capital, (3) environment on strategic alliance motives, (4) relational capital on strategic alliance outcomes, and (4) the mediating role of relational capital. The current study adds significantly to the body of knowledge on strategic alliances and can help managers identify factors that influence the success of strategic alliances and provide a proper direction to develop robust and effective collaborative relationships between supply chain partners.     

‘Created’ enclaves for enterprise: an empirical study of Singapore's industrial parks in Indonesia,Vietnam and China

The dynamics of globalization have prompted governments to re-examine accustomed policies, and search for alternative strategies, in order to re-position their economies for the future. This paper explores the spatial context of state involvement in the new economics of competition, with the focus on Singapore's much publicized, and controversial, orchestration of its state enterprise network to encapsulate economic space for Singapore-based firms to expand into the Asian region. This strategic initiative is promulgated on the exportability of Singapore's ‘state credibility’, systemic and operational efficiencies, and technological competencies, to locations where these attributes are less certain. A logit model is applied to questionnaire surveys culled from Singapore's industrial-township projects in Indonesia, Vietnam and China and the findings are presented. The authors conclude that the strategic advantage created for the firms within these privileged investment enclaves, although remarkable, is often at risk from the administrative complexities, and socio-political milieux, of the host environments.     

Flexibility for Whom? Control over Work Schedule Variability in the US

Abstract

According to the May Work Schedules and Work at Home Supplement of the Current Population Survey in 1997, 2001, and 2004, the proportion of employees in the United States with variable starting and/or stopping times who do not control their schedules has increased rapidly since the late 1990s. This category included one out of nine civilian employees ages 18–65 in 2004. These jobs have increased rapidly within industries and occupations. The incumbents of these jobs are more likely to be men, black, and immigrant; white, US-born women' chances of holding such jobs are greatly reduced by their responsibility for children. These findings identify a growing tendency to structure jobs so as to exacerbate the conflict between family work and paid employment, and to reinforce the gender division of labor between home and wage labor, especially in the most disadvantaged communities within the US.     

Mental health of UK university business students: Relationship with shame,motivation and self-compassion

There is growing awareness of mental health problems among UK business students, which appears to be exacerbated by students’ attitudes of shame toward mental health. This study recruited 138 UK business students and examined the relationship between mental health and shame, and mental health and potential protective factors such as self-compassion and motivation. A significant correlation between each of the constructs was observed and self-compassion was identified as an explanatory variable for mental health. Shame moderated the relationship between self-compassion and mental health. Integrating self-compassion training into business study programs may help to improve the mental health of this student group.     

2018 WTO Trade Policy Review of Malaysia

This paper presents an academic analysis and review of the recently completed WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Malaysia, 2018. This includes suggesting policies that can help to promote Malaysia's international competitiveness. We show that the sharp decline in commodity prices that started in 2014 contributed in narrowing Malaysia's trade balance and current account balance as a share of GDP. The faster decline of exports as a share of GDP compared to imports accounted for most of the substantial reduction. Further, the collapse of commodity prices was accompanied by a sharp depreciation of Ringgit Malaysia. We also show that Malaysia is losing international attractiveness in terms of FDI inflows relative to its economic size. This is evidenced by the downward trend in Malaysia's FDI performance index since 1992. Further, international tourism has fallen on average since 2014, due largely to a drop in tourist arrivals from Singapore. Policymakers should introduce policies to enhance international competitiveness, such as reforming the education system to produce skilled workers and reducing reliance on low‐skilled foreign workers.     

Asymmetric effects of corporate sustainability strategy on value creation among global automotive firms: A dynamic panel quantile regression approach

This study explores the asymmetric effects of corporate sustainability strategy on firm value at different conditioning quantiles by performing a dynamic panel quantile regression analysis on global automotive firms from 2011 to 2017. Further, this study measures the distinct effects of positive and negative corporate sustainability strategies on firm value, which has remained unconsidered as yet. The findings suggest that low-value and midvalue firms respond more strongly to positive and negative corporate sustainability strategies than high-value firms. This implies that for low-value and midvalue corporations that are in a growth phase, an investment in positive corporate sustainability strategies is essential to increase firm value by enhancing public perception of their efforts. Therefore, positive corporate sustainability strategy contributes substantially to future growth. Conversely, positive corporate sustainability strategy may not be a priority in increasing firm value for high-value corporations, because these strategies do not enhance the public's discernment of their efforts in ethics management and hence do not contribute to a future increase in value. Meanwhile, engagement in negative corporate sustainability strategy worsens firm value in all quantiles, although the effect is somewhat weaker for high-value firms. Nevertheless, however high valued and well established a firm is, it is not immune to crisis.     

The role of the corporate HR function in global talent management

We currently know little of the role of the corporate human resource (HR) function in multinational corporations regarding global talent management (GTM). GTM is explored here from two perspectives: increasing global competition for talent, and new forms of international mobility. The first considers the mechanisms of GTM, and the second, individual willingness to be mobile, especially in emerging markets, and the organizational capability needed to manage this talent. New corporate HR roles are identified which show how these issues might be addressed. We then advance our understanding of GTM theory and practice by considering the major future challenges facing corporate HR.