New technology based firms and the creation of regional growth potential

This paper focuses on the role of New Technology Based Firms (NTBFs) as a vital determinant of regional growth potential. The theoretical framework starts from the relation between innovation and economic development (macro-approach), to show how NTBFs can contribute to the creation of a regional growth potential (micro-approach). Empirical data for Belgium illustrate how NTBFs differ significantly from common starters on a number of fundamental characteristics such as educational level, product/market-orientation, socio-economic networking, delegation, growth strategy and Research and Development. Taking these findings into account, we concentrate on the region-specific technology policies in Belgium. The case of the emerging biotechnology industry is used as an illustration.     

Strategic partnering between new technology based firms and large established firms in the biotechnology and micro-electronics industries in Belgium

There is an increased emphasis on New Technology Based Firms (NTBFs) and on Strategic Partnerships. The number of strategic partnerships between large, established firms and NTBFs has multiplied over the past few years, due to a growing trend towards technological and marketing relationships between large and small firms. In this contribution, the strategic — predominantly technology —partnering (also referred to as interfirm technology cooperation) experiences of a small number of Belgian NTBFs in the biotechnology and micro-electronics industries will be analysed. The analysis presented here derives from the regionspecific technology policies in Belgium.A multiple case study design was chosen to develop an understanding of the impact of strategic partnering on New Technology Based Firm-survival and growth in Belgium. To improve the reliability of conclusions in the research presented here, a small number of cases will be investigated for the construction of a theoretical model.     

Towards a Post-Dualistic Business Ethics: Interweaving Reason and Emotion in Working Life

We highlight and challenge the dominance of rationalist assumptions in business ethics that promote and legitimize a privileging of reason over emotion as a source of moral action. We ask whether it is possible for business ethics not only to challenge this hierarchy but to avoid its reversal. We start by exploring some origins of reason-based ethics and relate these to ideas about organization. Here we hint at some popular examples of this kind of ethics and discuss two of its more important sources of inspiration: Kant and Weber. Next, we consider the relationship between bureaucracy and morality before evaluating Bauman's ideas about morality in bureaucratic organizations. We argue that Bauman fails to challenge the dualism between reason and emotion as he inverts the hierarchical relationship between them. Contending that this hierarchization should be abandoned, we explore how the preceding discussion illuminates business ethics and address some consequences of our anti-dualist position.     

Sustainable Tuna – Can the Marketplace Improve Fishery Management?

Tuna is a major global seafood commodity and thus of significance to retailers in most countries, but especially in countries consuming large quantities of canned tuna such as the United Kingdom, United States and many European countries. Some key species are under heavy fishing pressure, and companies realize that without conservation oriented management their future supplies may be in jeopardy. Sustainable sourcing policies are becoming an integral part of supply chains for seafood products. Under the influence of public opinion bodies such as the media and environmental NGOs, many retailers have adopted seafood sourcing policies in the past decade. The business strategy of any particular company in seeking to support sustainable fishing can vary, but may include the pursuit of market opportunities, protection from damaging publicity and corporate social responsibility commitments. Companies that seek to involve themselves in fishery sustainability issues need to be committed to broad based partnerships with other companies and NGOs, and transparency about all aspects of their decision making, intentions and progress. The sustainable seafood movement has proven persistent and adaptable, and this is increasing the number of retailers seeking sustainable tuna. In a demand driven market economy this growth will surely be influential. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Mit einem lächeln zum wirtschaftlichen erfolg? Ein beitrag zur design-wahrnehmung von produktgesichtern

Dieser Aufsatz zeigt anhand einer empirischen Studie, wie sich Erkenntnisse aus der psychologischen Forschung mit dem Design von Produkten verknüpfen lassen. Dazu werden Hypothesen aus der Gesichterforschung in die Welt der Produktentstehung übertragen. Anhand von Kaffeemaschinen, die dank der Arbeit eines Grafikers die typischen Merkmale des menschlichen Gesichts aufweisen, lassen sich Rückschlüsse auf managementrelevante Zielvariablen wie Kaufabsicht ziehen.     

“Generalized Pareto Fit to the Society of Actuaries’ Large Claims Database,” Ana C. Cebrián,Michel Denuit,and Philippe Lambert,July 2003

Abstract

We consider the issue of modeling the latent or hidden exposure occurring through either incomplete data or an unobserved underlying risk factor. We use the celebrated expectationmaximization (EM) algorithm as a convenient tool in detecting latent (unobserved) risks in finite mixture models of claim severity and in problems where data imputation is needed. We provide examples of applicability of the methodology based on real-life auto injury claim data and compare, when possible, the accuracy of our methods with that of standard techniques. Sample data and an EM algorithm program are included to allow readers to experiment with the EM methodology themselves.     

Measuring learning from others: The development and validation of the Proactive Social Informal Learning Questionnaire

The present study aims to develop, validate, and cross-validate an instrument measuring three proactive social informal learning activities, namely feedback seeking, help seeking and information seeking. Prior research mainly focused on detecting or measuring the frequency of these seeking behaviours and did not consider whether the information, help or feedback that has been sought was also used. Furthermore, although these seeking behaviours were studied extensively in different research fields, the current study takes a learning perspective and interprets feedback, help and information seeking as learning activities. The questionnaire was completed by a convenient sample of 650 professionals working in higher education, consultancy, retail and food production. We performed an exploratory factor analysis (N = 230 educators) to explore the structure of the questionnaire. This was followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (N = 230 educators) to confirm the structure. Finally, we cross-validated the questionnaire in a sample of business professionals (N = 190) by testing for measurement invariance. The final questionnaire resulted in a five-factor structure measuring the (1) Use of Feedback Seeking, (2) Frequency of Help and Information Seeking, (3) Use of Help seeking, (4) Use of Information Seeking and (5) Frequency of Feedback Seeking. The current study presents a preliminary, yet promising instrument that taps into proactive social informal learning.     

Examining the Decision Process of Students' Cheating Behavior: An Empirical Study

This research examines the association between attitudes on cheating and cognitive moral development. In this research, we use Rest's (1979a) Defining Issues Test, the Attitudes on Honesty Scale (Authors) and Academic Integrity Index (Authors); the last two are adaptations of the DIT. A total of 220 students from three universities participated in the study (66 psychology majors and 154 business majors). The data indicate that 66.4 percent of the students reported that they cheated in high school, college, or both high school and college. Psychology majors scored higher than business majors on both the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1979a) and the Attitudes on Honesty Scale (AHS, Authors). Using factor analysis, we found significant associations between students' ratings of the importance considerations present in the three cheating scenarios and their estimates of whether cheating would occur (i.e., the Academic Integrity Index). Finally, using logistic regression, we found that the scores on the Attitudes on Honesty Scale and Academic Integrity Index associate with the self-reported cheating behavior of college students.     

A New Approach to Measuring Financial Contagion

This article proposes a new approach to evaluate contagion infinancial markets. Our measure of contagion captures the coincidenceof extreme return shocks across countries within a region andacross regions. We characterize the extent of contagion, itseconomic significance, and its determinants using a multinomiallogistic regression model. Applying our approach to daily returnsof emerging markets during the 1990s, we find that contagionis predictable and depends on regional interest rates, exchangerate changes, and conditional stock return volatility. Evidencethat contagion is stronger for extreme negative returns thanfor extreme positive returns is mixed.