Virtue Ethics and the Practice–Institution Schema: An Ethical Case of Excellent Business Practices

This paper aims to contribute to a greater understanding of the theory of virtue ethics and its applications in the business arena. In contrast to other prominent approaches to ethics, virtue ethics provides a useful perspective in making sense of various business ethics issues with an emphasis on the moral character of the individuals and its transformational influences in driving ethical business conduct. Building on Geoff Moore’s (Bus Ethics Q 12(1):19–32, 2002; Bus Ethics Q 15(2):237–255, 2005; Bus Ethics Q 18(4):483–511, 2008) treatment of Alasdair MacIntyre’s practice–institution schema, the paper discusses how individuals, as moral agents, can serve to promote virtuous business conduct and help foster a moral and ethical climate in the organization and in society at large. Using interview data from a broader study of the New Zealand wine industry as explanatory examples, the paper argues that while many companies’ sustainable practices are still largely market based, such excellent business practices are often driven by individuals’ moral and ethical pursuits.     

Beyond technical skills training: The impact of credit counseling on the entrepreneurial behavior of Ugandan youth

There is low take‐up of financial credit among youth in Uganda because potential beneficiaries perceive associated risks as high. This study assesses the determinants of entrepreneurial risk tolerance among Ugandan youth using experimental data from a randomized control trial and a real‐life investment‐risk experiment. Credit counseling was provided to young men and women aged 18–35 who owned a business to educate them about the obligations and commitments associated with financial credit. The intervention had a significant impact on demand for credit and related intermediate outcomes such as ownership of a bank account and investment in assets. The study finds that youth exhibited lower demand for credit after business training because of increased awareness regarding the actual risks associated with receiving credit. Our findings reinforce national strategies to promote soft skills for business entrepreneurship that extend beyond standard business training.     

Trade Union Responses to zero hours work in Ireland

This paper examines the strategies adopted by Irish unions in responding to zero hours work in four sectors. It concludes that rather than adopting either a passive or a uniform approach, unions have pragmatically varied their strategies to curtail zero‐hours work through actively combining both bargaining and regulatory approaches.     

Wage discrimination,occupational segregation and visible minorities in Canada

The earnings gap between each of Whites, Asians, and Blacks is decomposed into the effects on earnings of productivity-related characteristics, wage discrimination and occupational segregation. Unlike previous Canadian studies, this paper analyses the relative economic position of both immigrant and native-born visible minorities and explicitly incorporates the effect of discrimination in occupational attainment on the earnings gap. The results indicate that policies aimed at increasing the ethnic representation across occupational categories would be effective only for Black men. Anti-discrimination legislation aimed at decreasing the earnings gap between visible minority and White women should have a dual focus: they should aim at reducing the inter-occupational wage discrimination; they should provide training programs to extend the career ladders confronting ethnic minority women.     

Salespeople,Fairness, and Buyer Satisfaction: What about Emotions?

Purpose: Although most studies focus on rational decision-making in organizational buying, this research examines the satisfaction through the integration of fairness and emotion theories. It thus broadens knowledge about the formation of satisfaction in buyer–seller relationships, through an integration of justice and emotion theories.

Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 130 buyers was conducted. The test of the proposed model relied on structural equation modeling. To examine the mediating role of positive emotions, we followed the procedure proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986). That is, we compared the proposed framework against two competing models: a non-mediated model and a saturated model that featured all possible causal paths.

Findings: Results show that both distributive and procedural fairness have a positive impact on buyer’s satisfaction, following two different paths: a rational path with fairness acting directly on satisfaction; and an emotional path where emotions play a mediator role.

Research limitations/implications: Buyers evaluate satisfaction through an emotional lens. Business relationships are not completely rational, a consideration with importance for buying and customer relationship theory.

Practical implications: Sellers must pay attention to their customer policies from the perspective of their customers. In addition to guaranteeing a “fair” outcome, sellers must ensure that buyers are subject only to procedures that customers perceive to be fair. Indeed, since buyers in business relationships are not completely rational, business-to-business (B-to-B) experts should acknowledge the influence of emotions in their sales strategies.

Originality/value: The mediating impact of emotion in the fairness–satisfaction relationship has not been explored in buyer–seller settings previously. Deconstructing satisfaction with the decision process into its cognitive and affective elements, we examine the emotional dimension of B-to-B buying process.     

Resource curse impacts on the co-evolution of emerging economy institutions and firm internationalization

We investigate natural resource “curse” impacts on co-evolutionary relationships between emerging economy institutions and firm internationalization. We discuss how these relationships challenge and extend IB institutional research using three predominant resource curse characteristics (boom and bust cycles with related public discourse and “Dutch Disease” with associated manufacturing sector investment crowd-out). These characteristics alter regulative, normative and cognitive institutional impacts on state- and privately-owned firm internationalization during an emerging economy’s resource curse. We develop propositions describing these processes using oil and gas, manufacturing and service sector examples in several emerging economies. We discuss our theoretical contributions to the resource curse and international business literatures and outline future research directions.     

Stimulating UK Adolescents’ Seafood Consumption

The health benefits of seafood consumption are well known, however, consumption levels in the UK remain below recommended levels of two servings per week. Seafood consumption is beneficial for adolescents, as it is associated with physical and mental well-being, lower levels of obesity, and improved cognitive performance and academic achievement. This study investigated current consumption, preferences, and attitudes toward seafood among UK adolescents. Seven focus groups were conducted in two schools with diverse socio-economic student profiles. Findings revealed that seafood consumption levels vary considerably among individuals and typically takes a less healthy form (e.g., fish and chips). Key drivers of seafood consumption include health and taste, while barriers were typically associated with the sensory qualities of seafood including dislike of taste, bones, smell, and texture. A range of intervention strategies were identified and new product ideas ranged from fun, fast-food, snack-style products to healthy meal options.     

Business travellers' connections to home: ICTs supporting work‐life balance

This paper examines the role of information communication technology in enabling connections to home for work‐related travellers. Although digital connectivity for work‐related tasks are well researched, the use of digital technology for home communication is under‐researched. The study draws on a qualitative study of UK‐based organisations and business travellers to explore how these travellers use ICTs for personal use while ‘on the move’. The findings reveal that organisations are supportive of work‐life balance for employees, but fail to consider specific needs of those whose work takes them away from home. For business travellers, insights are gained into practices around connecting to home and the value of this virtual presence for relationships with family while absent and work‐life balance. The study identifies and discusses practice occurring around three activities; checking in, maintaining relationships with home and sharing experiences.     

Book reviews

New Advanced Materials: Economic Dynamics and European Strategy.

New Technology in Context: The Selection, Introduction and Use of Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tools.

Management Strategies for Information Technology.

Managing Information Technology in Insurance: A Guide to the Key Issues.