Perceived effect of a salesperson's stigmatized appearance on store image: an experimental study of student's perceptions

The Perception of a specific stigma, obesity, and its influence on store image was studied. Previous studies have acknowledged the role salespeople play in the perception of a store's image, but no previous studies have specifically focused on the influence of the physical appearance of sales personnel on store image. The results of an experiment that examined students' perceptions of salespersons' appearance showed that, if a salesperson was described as obese, then the store was perceived as having a poorer image and as being less successful, regardless of the sex of the salesperson or the type of store. The implications of these findings for retailers are discussed in light of the Americans with Disabilities Act and recent legal discussion concerned with protecting physically stigmatized workers.     

Exploring the national and organizational culture mix in service firms

Using representative samples of U.S. and Japanese retail service firms, this study explores whether one particular type of organizational culture is the best with respect to business outcomes (performance and customer satisfaction) or whether the optimum culture depends on the national context in which the firm is embedded. The findings suggest that there is a significant interaction effect of organizational culture with national culture on outcomes. Specifically, the relationships between the importance placed on the cultural values of stability, people orientation, and detail orientation and outcomes are significantly greater for Japanese than for U.S. service retailers. On the other hand, the relationships between the values of aggressiveness, innovation, and outcome orientation and outcomes are greater for U.S. retailers. Further, the findings show that firms whose cultures match those of their home countries exhibit lower levels of outcomes when they operate in other countries with different cultural values. Implications are given for how service retailers might be designed and managed for purposes of improving business outcomes.     

Antitrust and Liberalization in developing countries

A number of developing countries around the world have recently liberalized once highly protected regimes through privatization programs and by reducing impediments to market trade. Many of these countries have adopted an antitrust policy as an integral component of their market reforms. Recent assessments of trade liberalization programs show disappointing results. Such outcomes contradict long-held beliefs that free trade is sufficient to generate competitive outcomes in small economies. Antitrust advocates view these underwhelming achievements as further justification for extensive antitrust enforcement. We argue instead that the failure of liberalization suggests not the correctness but the inappropriateness of the enactment of antitrust policies. The continuance of market power after liberalization is due primarily to lobbying activities by producer interest groups to establish nontariff barriers rather than to collusive practices among producers. Interest groups find cartelization and rent seeking as substitutes in raising prices above competitive levels. Accordingly, the establishment of antitrust serves to improve the relative attractiveness of seeking nontariff barriers. Antitrust policies are ineffective in challenging the emergence of nontariff barriers and thus may have the unintended consequence of promoting anticompetitive activities.     

Responses to industrial closure

From a high point in the early seventies resistance to plant closure, especially in the form of the occupation, progressively declined throughout the rest of the decade. This article attempts to explain this trend in terms of changing socioeconomic contexts and management strategies.     

Who's right for an international assignment?

Picking the wrong candidate for an international assignment can be costly for both the individual and his or her company. So more and more companies are turning to testing techniques like the Overseas Assignment Inventory that allows a company to compare a candidate against a profile of success based on a study of thousands of international managers.     

Functioning and reforms of small claims tribunals in New Zealand

This article examines some of the pending changes to the jurisdiction and functioning of Small Claims Tribunals in New Zealand. The Disputes Tribunals Act 1988 repeals the Small Claims Tribunals Act 1976. The new Disputes Tribunals will exercise a wider jurisdiction, both in monetary terms and with respect to the nature of cases which can be heard, than did the Small Claims Tribunals. In particular, the Disputes Tribunals will have wider powers in certain areas of tort. The author also examines certain procedural reforms, and the significance and possible consequences of these.

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Zusammenfassung In Neuseeland gibt seit etwa 12 Jahren spezielle Gerichte für kleinere Streitfälle. Eine vom Justizministerium durchgeführte Evaluationsstudie stärkte die Auffassung, diese Gerichte unter bestimmten rechtlichen und Verfahrensgesichtspunkten zu reformieren.Das 1976 verabschiedete Gesetz über Gerichte für kleinere Streitfälle wurde 1988 durch das Gesetz für Rechtsstreitigkeiten ersetzt. Dieses Gesetz führte zu einer Ausweitung insofern, als die Streitwertgrenze von 1,000 $ auf 3,000 $ angehoben wurde. Bei Einigkeit beider Parteien kann der Streitwert sogar bis 5,000 $ gehen. Bisher konnten die Gerichte nur zivilrechtliche Streitigkeiten entscheiden, andere Rechtswidrigkeiten waren beschränkt auf Schäden durch fahrlässigen Umgang mit Kraftfahrzeugen. Durch die neue Gesetzgebung wird der Rechtssprechungsspielraum beachtlich erweitert. Diese Ausweitung der gerichtlichen Kompetenzen erschien notwendig, um einder breiteren Öffentlichkeit Zugang zu solchen Schlichtungsverfahren zu eröffnen — eine angesichts der ständig steigenden Kosten der Rechtssprechung sinnvolle Forderung. Außerdem hat das neue Gesetz neue Verfahrensregelungen eingeführt. Beispielsweise sind die Gerichte nunmehr verpflichtet, ihre Urteilssprüche zu begründen. Außerdem sind die Klagemöglichkeiten näher definiert.Der Beitrag analysiert die möglichen Auswirkungen dieser Änderungen auf die Funktionsweise der Gerichte.

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Cynthia Hawes is Lecturer in Law, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 1, New Zealand, and Small Claims Tribunal Referee in Christchurch.Much of the text of this article was given as a paper at the annual conference of the Australasian Universities Law Schools Association, at the University of Sydney, August, 1988.     

On-duty and Off-duty: Employee Right to Privacy and Employer’s Right to Control in the Private Sector

The changing legal landscape of the right of the employer to control and monitor employee behavior is examined. Two distinct areas are defined: behavioral monitoring and behavioral restrictions. Relevant statutory laws and the developing common law are discussed. We also examine potential employee reactions to such policies by evaluating the reactions of graduate students to six employer policies including weight restrictions, grooming requirements, use of GPS locators, drug testing, ban on off-duty smoking, and email and internet monitoring. Students responded to these policies by determining the reasonable interest of the employer in the behaviors being monitored or controlled and the manner in which policies were implemented. Their comments suggest that employees may accept some level of monitoring or behavioral restrictions if the employer can make a convincing social account of the need for a policy. Additionally, the policy must be clearly communicated and properly implemented. However, restrictions on off-duty behavior were typically poorly received with the exception of illegal drug use.