Understanding volunteer motivation for participation in a community‐based food cooperative

Those concerned with social exclusion have increasingly recognised the value of community‐level activities as a basis for the development of disadvantaged communities. Much community development activity is collective and depends on members of the community volunteering to take on tasks and responsibilities associated with the collective action. The long‐term success of these activities is contingent on recruitment of sufficient numbers of volunteers and maintaining their commitment. The purpose of this research was to gain insights into volunteers' motives for participating in a community retail initiative, with a view to understanding the dynamics of their relationship with the enterprise as time passes. A series of in‐depth interviews provided evidence that motivations and factors influencing involvement change over time. Relatively vague ideas of the potential benefits of volunteering that motivated initial involvement were clarified as volunteers gained experience of participating in the enterprise. There was overt recognition of skill development and growth in self‐esteem and confidence that had been gained during the first few months of working on the project and there was anticipation that these would be enhanced through ongoing involvement. The implications of these findings are discussed and some future research directions are proposed. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications     

The relationship between Arab values and work beliefs: An exploratory examination

In this study, 365 employees from three Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman) are queried about their cultural values and work‐related beliefs. This analysis is unique both in its sample and its focus on the relationship between individual cultural values and beliefs about work. Results suggest that the cultural value dimensions individualism (p < .001) and masculinity (p < .001) are related to both an individual's beliefs about organizational commitment and work ethic. Additional findings reveal patterns between cultural values and humanistic and political beliefs. Future research directions and managerial implications are also discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

One size does not fit all: Heterogeneous economic impact of integrated pest management practices for mango fruit flies in Kenya—a machine learning approach

Most previous studies evaluating agricultural technology adoption focus on estimating homogeneous average treatment effects across technology adopters. Understanding the heterogeneous effects and drivers of impact heterogeneity should enable interventions to be better targeted to maximise benefits. We apply machine learning using data from a randomised controlled trial to estimate the heterogeneous treatment effect of fruit fly IPM practices (i.e., parasitoids, orchard sanitation, use of food bait, biopesticides, male annihilation technique, and their combinations) in Central Kenya. Results suggest significant heterogeneity in the effect of IPM practices conditioned on household characteristics. The most important covariates explaining differences in treatment effects are wealth, distance to the mango fruit market, age of the household head, labour and experience in mango farming. Results further indicate that those with fewer mango trees benefit more from most IPM practices. Additional analysis across other covariates shows mixed results but generally suggests significant differences between households benefiting the most and those benefiting the least from IPM practices.     

The GCC’s Fixed Exchange Rate: A Major Anomaly for OCA Analysis

From the standpoint of traditional optimal currency area (OCA) analysis, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are a major anomaly. They successfully maintained pegged exchange rates among themselves for two decades while failing to meet a number of major OCA criteria. Contrary to the optimistic predictions of some of the most enthusiastic advocates of endogenous OCA analysis, intra‐regional trade has remained low and there is little synchronisation of their business cycles or harmonisation of their fiscal positions. We argue that their success in operating a fixed rate regime has been due to a combination of high oil revenue, the heavy use of foreign workers and the limited extent to which their economies rely on market forces. These are conditions that are not met by most other countries.     

Understanding self‐initiated expatriates: Career experiences of Lebanese self‐initiated expatriates in France

Drawing on a field study based on interviews with 43 Lebanese skilled self‐initiated expatriates from the Paris region in France and six policymakers and immigration specialists, the article offers an alternative to theories of management that frame expatriate careers as either organizationally or individually driven. In doing so, we explicate how the international work experiences of self‐initiated expatriates can be captured in ways true to their nature as multifaceted and multilevel phenomena. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Factors Associated with Students' Academic Motivation in Agricultural Economics Classes

A study of undergraduates at Texas A&M University, Purdue University, and the University of Florida reveals that students viewing grades as a contributor to career success tend to be more academically motivated. Several measures of academic motivation are examined by means of general linear and also nonlinear models. Electronic entertainment, socializing, and time spent working are all negatively associated with academic motivation. Greater academic motivation exists among females. To the extent that additional work is needed for the support of increased tuition costs, students have the potential to be less academically motivated.     

Technology transfer from government laboratories to industrial markets

The first purpose of this article is to explore the interface between Marketing and R&D. The intent is to illustrate the nature of the relationship that must be developed and maintained to assure the successful transfer of technology from Federal laboratories to the civilian and commercial sectors of the nation. The second purpose of this article is to explore how government participation affects the R&D—Marketing interface and other dimensions of the innovation process.     

Political and Interlocking Connections in the Boardroom on Private Equity Placements

This study examines the influence of directors who are politically connected and/or have boardroom interlocking on private equity placements (PEPs) in Chinese listed firms. We document that interlocked directors can significantly influence the propensity to apply for PEPs and approval of PEPs and reduce the cost of PEPs while providing greater access to proceeds from PEPs through lowering information asymmetry and information cost. Although politically connected directors have a significant role in the approval of PEPs, they are more likely to reduce the monitoring effects and increase agency problems, which lead to increased cost of PEPs and reduced proceeds from PEPs. The results also reveal that political connection diminishes the benefits of interlocking directors for firms having directors with both interlocking and political ties.