The mediator effects of conceiving imagination on academic performance of design students

Three studies were combined to examine the effects of creativity and imagination on the academic performance of design students. Study 1 conducted an exploratory factor analysis to determine the most appropriate structure of the Creativity Capability Scale (CCS) in a sample of 313 college students. The scale was a new self-report measure, and it was developed to be both empirically valid and easy to administer. A two-factor solution identified originality and useful flexibility as dimensions of human creativity. Study 2 conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the established structure of the CCS in a sample of 284 college students in design schools. In addition, we also confirmed the structure of the Imaginative Capability Scale using the same sample. A three-factor solution supported an earlier study in which human imagination was categorized into three types, namely initiating, conceiving, and transforming imaginations. The analyses of composite reliability and construct validity gave both scales good support. Study 3 further tested the effects of creativity and imagination on academic performance in a sample of 271 design students. The hypothesis of Study 3—that conceiving imagination acted as a mediator between creativity/imagination and academic performance—was partially supported. The structural model also showed that useful flexibility, initiating imagination and transforming imagination demonstrated positive, indirect effects on academic performance. Critical reflections on the results are provided. Discussions for future studies are also proposed.     

Relative accuracy of analysts’ earnings forecasts over time: a Markov chain analysis

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the time patterns of individual analysts’ relative accuracy ranking in earnings forecasts using a Markov chain model. Two levels of stochastic persistence are found in analysts’ relative accuracy over time. Factors underlying analysts’ performance persistence are identified and they include analyst’s length of experience, workload, and the size and growth rate of firms followed by the analyst. The strength and the composition of these factors are found to vary markedly in different industries. The findings support the general notion that analysts are heterogeneous in their accuracy in earnings forecasts and that their superior/inferior performance tends to persist over time. An analysis based on a refined measure of analysts’ forecast accuracy ranking that strips off firm-specific factors further enhances the empirical validity of the findings. These findings provide a concrete basis for researchers to further explore why and how analysts perform differently in the competitive market of investment information services.     

The Qualitative and Quantitative Models for Performance Measurement Systems: The Agile Service Development

A decision model for selection using analytic hierarchy process (AHP), however, they did not consider interdependence property but consider independence property among alternatives or criteria. It could become inadequate in measurement of actual performance of the decision process. In order to reduce the decision gap, this paper considers when independence among different elements of a system assumption is violated and takes into account the degree of the interdependence among them. The fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) approach with agile theory is developed to apply in analyzing the new service development in the wholesale center. The FANP could not only offer a hierarchy framework more efficiency and accuracy but also improve human judgment on the importance of requirements involving imprecise and vague. The technique has proved useful for comparing the importance among the determinants of agile for new service development in decision maker’s mind, including agile cost, time, robustness and scope. The empirical result points out that “Diverse designs” of new service development is the best choice for the wholesale center, following as “Service extended” and “Technological core”.     

Modes of cooperative R&D commercialization by start‐ups

This study empirically examines the determinants of heterogeneous firm‐level cooperative R&D commercialization strategies. While the volume of interfirm collaboration has increased dramatically in recent decades, the determinants of firm‐level choices among alternate modes of such cooperative activity remain relatively understudied. We develop a conceptual model of factors determining collaborative mode choice at the organizational portfolio level. These factors include the firm‐level appropriation environment, in which deal‐level choices have portfolio‐level spillover implications, as well as governance capabilities developed by the firm over time. Using a random sample of innovating biotechnology start‐ups, we assemble a firm‐year panel dataset that aggregates transaction‐level collaboration data to the firm‐year level, allowing us to characterize firms' portfolios of collaborative deals. We find broad empirical support for our model, suggesting that a firm's appropriation environment and governance capabilities strongly influence portfolio‐level collaboration mode choices. In addition, we explore the implications of governance capability development, finding that experience with particular modes, as well as deviations from existing capabilities, impact firm valuation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring the interaction between incubators and industrial clusters: the case of the itri incubator in Taiwan

This article aims to explore the interaction between incubators and industrial clusters, which is an important linkage for local development but has not been analyzed in the literature. A model is proposed to describe this interaction. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Incubator within the Hsinchu industrial cluster, the core of Taiwan's technology industries, is considered to be an empirical case. This case is investigated with the proposed model and methods including data analysis, in–depth interviews, manager surveys and stakeholder analysis. It was found that the clustering effect in the Hsinchu industrial cluster is main factor in the ITRI Incubator's development. The ITRI Incubator in turn reinforces the cluster in some aspects as feedback. This result confirms the existence and importance of this interaction in local development. It is recommended that government officials and incubator managers take account of this interaction in operating an incubator program and utilize the proposed model to analyze the incubator's contributions to its industrial cluster.     

Target‐Setting,Pay for Performance,and Quality Improvement: A Case Study of Ontario Hospitals’ Quality‐Improvement Plans

This study examines whether difficult targets and quality indicators in executives' pay‐for‐performance (P4P) plans affect performance. The impact of target‐setting and P4P plans on quality improvement in the public sector is unclear. The Ontario government initiated the Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), which requires hospitals to set targets for quality indicators annually and link executive pay to target achievement since 2011. Analyzing Health Quality Ontario's database and hospitals' 2012–2013 QIPs, this study shows greater quality improvement in hospitals with difficult targets than hospitals with easy targets or without assigned targets; however, the positive impact disappears for high‐performance hospitals relative to their peers. We find no significant effect of the use of quality indicators in executives' P4P plans on quality improvement. Copyright © 2018 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ASYMPTOTICS OF IMPLIED VOLATILITY IN LOCAL VOLATILITY MODELS

Using an expansion of the transition density function of a one‐dimensional time inhomogeneous diffusion, we obtain the first‐ and second‐order terms in the short time asymptotics of European call option prices. The method described can be generalized to any order. We then use these option prices approximations to calculate the first‐ and second‐order deviation of the implied volatility from its leading value and obtain approximations which we numerically demonstrate to be highly accurate.     

Relinking Cross‐functional Collaboration,Knowledge Integration Mechanisms,and Product Innovation Performance: a Moderated Mediation Model

Previous research shows that knowledge integration mechanisms (KIMs) mediate the cross‐functional collaboration‐product innovation performance relationship; however, this mediating effect seems to be rather weak. This study, in contrast, develops a moderated mediation (MOME) model to argue that such a mediating effect is moderated by product innovativeness. A sample comprised of 106 manufacturing firms is utilized in the analyses. A moderated‐mediation approach shows that the mediating effect of KIMs in the linkage between cross‐functional collaboration and product innovation performance varies by different perspectives of product innovativeness. From an industry (macro‐level) perspective, product innovativeness positively moderates the mediating effect of KIMs on product innovation performance; in contrast, such a moderating effect is not significant under a firm (micro‐level) perspective. Copyright © 2011 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High commitment work system,transactive memory system,and new product performance

Although scholars find that the transactive memory systems can improve new product performance, few studies have empirically examined how managers can induce a transactive memory system in new product development teams with a set of systematic management practices. Based on the theoretical argument about human resource system in the strategic human resource management literature, this study proposes that implementing a set of coherent human resource management practices with workers in new product development teams can induce a transactive memory system in the team. Following previous scholars, this study calls this set of coherent human resource management practices as the high commitment work system. With survey data collected from 336 new product development engineers of 73 new product development teams in 73 firms, this study finds that transactive memory system mediates the positive relationship between the high commitment work system implemented with workers in new product development teams and new product performance.     

Assessing Gender Differences in Computer Professionals’ Self-Regulatory Efficacy Concerning Information Privacy Practices

Concerns with improper collection and usage of personal information by businesses or governments have been seen as critical to the success of the emerging electronic commerce. In this regard, computer professionals have the oversight responsibility for information privacy because they have the most extensive knowledge of their organization’s systems and programs, as well as an intimate understanding of the data. Thus, the competence of these professionals in ensuring sound practice of information privacy is of great importance to both researchers and practitioners. This research addresses the question of whether male computer professionals differ from their female counterparts in their self-regulatory efficacy to protect personal information privacy. A total of 103 male and 65 female subjects surveyed in Taiwan responded to a 10-item questionnaire that includes three measures: protection (protecting privacy information), non-distribution (not distributing privacy information to others), and non-acquisition (not acquiring privacy information). The findings show (1) significant gender differences exist in the subjects’ overall self-regulatory efficacy for information privacy, and, in particular, (2) that female subjects in this study exhibited a higher level of self-regulatory efficacy than males for the protection and non-acquisition of personal privacy information. The identification of the factorial structure of the self-regulatory efficacy concerning information privacy may contribute to future research directed to examining the links between privacy efficacy and psychological variables, such as ethical attitude, ethical intention, and self-esteem. Studies can also be extended to investigate how different cultural practices of morality and computer use in men and women may shape the different development patterns of privacy self-efficacy. Understanding the different cultural practices may then shed light on the social sources of privacy competence and the appropriate remedies that can be provided to improve the situation. Feng-Yang Kuo holds a B.S. degree in Management Science from Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan and a Ph.D.degree in Information Systems from University of Arizona. He was a faculty of Information Systems at University of Colorado at Denver from 1985 to 1997 and is currently an associate professor of Information Management in Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan. He has published articles in Communications of ACM, MIS Quarterly, Communications of AIS, Journal of Business Ethics, Information & Management, Journal of Systems and Software, Decision Support Systems, and Sun Yat-Sen Management Review. Among his current interests are information ethics, managerial cognition, and human-computer interfaces. Cathy S.Lin Professor Cathy S.Lin is an assistant professor of Information Management at National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Her Ph.D.is in Management Information Systems from National Sun Yat-Sen University. She has published articles in the Information & Management, Journal of Information Management, and Sun Yat-Sen Management Review. Among her current interests are information ethics, ethical decision making, electronic commerce, and information management. Meng-Hsiang Hsu Professor Meng-Hsiang Hsu is a professor of information management at National Kaohsiung of First University of Science and Technology. His Ph.D. is in Management Information Systems from National Sun Yat-Sen University. He has published articles in the J. of Business Ethics, Behavior & information Technology, Decision Support System, and Industrial Management and Data Systems. Among his current interests are knowledge management, information ethics, strategic information systems, and electronic commerce.