Warum Vertrauen wichtig ist — Der ökonomische Blickwinkel

Die Finanzkrise hat die ?ffentliche Aufmerksamkeit auf eine der Grundstützen des marktwirtschaftlichen Systems gerichtet: das Vertrauen der Marktteilnehmer untereinander. Friedrich L. Sell und Marcus Wiens erl?utern die verschiedenen Sph?ren des Vertrauens (Zweierbeziehung, Gruppe, gesamte Gesellschaft), welche Risiken mit dem Vertrauen verbunden sind und wie diese überwunden werden k?nnen.     

Commitment and Trust as Drivers of Loyalty in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: Cultural Differences Between the United States and Germany

This study examines differences in loyalty formation within logistics outsourcing relationships between Germany and the United States. A model of loyalty formation on the basis of commitment and trust is developed and differences between Germany and the United States are hypothesized. They are tested based on 795 logistics outsourcing relationships in the two countries using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that these relationships differ depending on cultural traits relating to trust and commitment. The findings are relevant for practitioners and academics as they paint a more globally informed picture of loyalty formation within logistics outsourcing relationships in which to base both managerial decisions and future research.     

For the greater good: business networks and business social responsibility to communities

Business networks (co-operative arrangements between independent business organizations) may be the signature organizational form of the contemporary global economy. Many policy-makers and local leaders advocate business network membership as an alternative development strategy for regional economic vitality. The extant literature on business networks has focused on their association with business success. However, little is known about their impact on other aspects of community life. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the role of network membership on one non-economic dimension of the business community interface. We examined the relationship between business network membership and business social responsibility to communities, defined as the provision of leadership and support for community betterment projects. Data were gathered from telephone interviews with a random sample of 460 non-metro small business operators in the USA. Independent t-tests and ordinary least squares regression analyses controlling for theoretically important variables were conducted. Findings show that networked businesses provide more leadership and support for their communities than non-networked businesses. However, networked businesses were no more likely than non-networked businesses to use local suppliers of goods and services.     

Optimal disinflation in new Keynesian models

Central bankers' conventional wisdom suggests that nominal interest rates should be raised to attain a lower inflation target. In contrast, I show that the standard New Keynesian monetary model with rational expectations and full credibility predicts that nominal interest rates should be decreased to attain this goal. Real interest rates, however, are virtually unchanged. These results also hold in recent vintages of New Keynesian models with sticky wages, price and wage indexation and habit formation in consumption.     

Explorations in intercultural work integrated learning: Educational process for a Topsy-Turvy world

This paper investigates how work integrated learning (WIL) can be re-imagined/re-enacted as collaborative playgrounds of networks. To do this we first establish the working context for these reflections by exploring fragments of biography and the immediate catalyst which was a recent seminar held over 5 days, beginning in the rural Swedish town of Ed and, for the last 2 days, at University West in Trollhättan. We then set out to explore the normative and theoretical context of our approach before finally moving to an exploration of the concept of WIL via CLA and scenarios. Our overall goal is to describe some features of an expanded concept of WIL as it relates to intercultural learning. In doing this we hope to generate processes that facilitate the kind of learning necessary if we are to enable teachers and students to build sustainable futures they can realistically aspire to.     

Economic importance and statistical significance: Guidelines for communicating empirical research

Abstract

A critical objective for many empirical studies is a thorough evaluation of both substantive importance and statistical significance. Feminist economists have critiqued neoclassical economics studies for an excessive focus on statistical machinery at the expense of substantive issues. Drawing from the ongoing debate about the rhetoric of economic inquiry and significance tests, this paper examines approaches for presenting empirical results effectively to ensure that the analysis is accurate, meaningful, and relevant for the conceptual and empirical context. To that end, it demonstrates several measurement issues that affect the interpretation of economic significance and are commonly overlooked in empirical studies. This paper provides guidelines for clearly communicating two distinct aspects of “significance” in empirical research, using prose, tables, and charts based on OLS, logit, and probit regression results. These guidelines are illustrated with samples of ineffective writing annotated to show weaknesses, followed by concrete examples and explanations of improved presentation.     

An Empirical Investigation into the Perception of Vehicle Source Effects

Advertising managers, educators and regulators alike have observed the growth of federal programs mandating the form or content of consumer information disclosures. Although this activity often has been warranted, at times these programs may have had unintended “deceptive” effects. Examples might include the USDA's food grading systems, some of the FTC's corrective advertising activities and certain programs of affirmative disclosure of product information (e.g, gasoline octane ratings and the cigarette health warning). To avoid these problems one must give attention to principles learned from communication and attitude research. Further, such programs will benefit greatly from before-after impact evaluation studies to insure that results correspond with objectives.     

How to learn new tasks: Shop floor performance effects of knowledge transfer and performance feedback

We investigate how learning and the task performance of individuals are affected by different forms of knowledge transfer. Whereas previous research has proven the positive performance impacts of knowledge transfer, self-observation and feedback mechanisms individually, we explore the cumulative effect of these factors on learning and performance. With the help of two laboratory experimental studies reproducing manufacturing tasks that are typical for industrial production, we show that explicit knowledge transfer is superior to other forms of knowledge transfer. Externally provided performance feedback in the form of cost information and non-financial performance indicators has no effect on the order of different forms of knowledge transfer. Moreover, external feedback does not even have an additional significant performance effect on learning new tasks irrespective of the type of knowledge transfer.     

Challenges for land system science

While considerable progress has been made in understanding land use change, land system science continues to face a number of grand challenges. This paper discusses these challenges with a focus on empirical land system studies, land system modelling and the analysis of future visions of land system change. Contemporary landscapes are contingent outcomes of past and present patterns, processes and decisions. Thus, empirical analysis of past and present land-use change has an important role in providing insights into the socio-economic and ecological processes that shape land use transitions. This is especially important with respect to gradual versus rapid land system dynamics and in understanding changes in land use intensity. Combining the strengths of empirical analysis with multi-scale modelling will lead to new insights into the processes driving land system change. New modelling methods that combine complex systems thinking at a local level with macro-level economic analysis of the land system would reconcile the multi-scale dynamics currently encapsulated in bottom-up and top-down modelling approaches. Developments in land use futures analysis could focus on integrating explorative scenarios that reflect possible outcomes with normative visions that identify desired outcomes. Such an approach would benefit from the broad and in-depth involvement of stakeholders in order to link scientific findings to political and societal decision-making culminating in a set of key choices and consequences. Land system models have an important role in supporting future land use policy, but model outputs require scientific interpretation rather than being presented as predictions. The future of land system science is strongly dependent on the research community's capacity to bring together the elements of research discussed in the paper, via empirical data collection and analysis of observed processes, computer simulation across scale levels and futures analysis of alternative, normative visions through stakeholder engagement.