Portuguese tour operators: A fight for survival

This article looks at the efficiency of Portuguese tour operators focusing on firm size, group ownership, and mergers and acquisitions. It has been argued that changed market conditions in Europe make it hard for tour operators to achieve economies of scale and market growth without increasing firm size or being part of a more high profile company.     

Chinese children’s attitudes towards television advertising: truthfulness and liking

This benchmarking study examines Chinese children.s perceived truthfulness of and liking for television advertising in three Chinese cities with different developmental levels of advertising. An in-person survey of 1758 children (ages 6 to 14) was conducted between December 2001 and March 2002 using a structured questionnaire. Results indicate that a majority of children perceive half of the television commercials to be true, although this varies by grade and geography. Children in Beijing perceived television commercials to be more trustworthy than did children in Nanjing and Chengdu. The percentage of children who perceive all commercials to be true declines consistently with grade in all three cities. There is a high proportion of first graders who perceive all commercials to be untrue. The basis for judgement varies predominantly by grade. Children in higher grades depend more on brand and user experience while children in lower grades rely mainly on authority (i.e. parents or teachers). A high proportion of first graders hold both a strong liking and disliking for commercials. These strong feelings towards advertising decreased with grade, being replaced by a marked increase in neutral or indifferent feelings. Gender and level of television viewing do not show a consistent impact on perceived truthfulness and liking for commercials. Perceived truthfulness of television advertising is related positively with liking for commercials.     

Marketing Metrics Use in a Transition Economy: The Case of Vietnam

ABSTRACT

This article explores the use of marketing metrics by a sample of Vietnamese firms, providing an example of the use of marketing metrics in a “transition” economy as it grows and becomes more market and marketing driven. The analysis reports usage frequency and then develops a set of “correlation chains” linking firm characteristics, metric use, and various indicators of performance. Vietnamese managers generally report that several types of metrics are used. Ownership structure and industry also impact which metrics are utilized. An initial assessment of chains relating metric use to firm performance indicates that the impact is complex and indirect.     

The perception of fire risk by older people and its impact on relevant fire safety education

Accidents due to ‘fire and flames’ are second only to “falls” as the most important cause of accidental death in the homes of elderly individuals throughout the United Kingdom. This study aims to ascertain whether older people are receiving fire accident advice appropriate to their needs. A questionnaire addressing the issues of risk perception, fire preventative action and access to fire safety information was distributed to 1100 randomly selected members of the ‘Thousand Elders’ (a nation-wide consumer group established by the Centre for Applied Gerontology at The University of Birmingham, comprising people above the age of 50 years). Eight hundred and four questionnaires were returned and were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Fire risk was perceived as far less of an immediate threat than the danger of a personal attack by an intruder in the home. Recognition of fire risk and the effectiveness of fire safety measures did not result directly in safety appliances being fitted. The majority of ‘Elders’ had received no fire-fighting training, yet more than half felt confident in tackling a small fire. Neither did experience of a fire in the home necessarily increase action towards safety precautions. The majority had not been exposed to a fire safety campaign in the past 12 months. On exposure to a campaign, the impact towards fire safety was positive. The educational process should aim to close the gap between the recognition of the need for fire safety precautions and the implementation of fire safety measures. The key to effective fire prevention amongst older people depends upon: Information, Training and Support, i.e., relevant information supported by practical help and subsequent practical training in-situ by trusted community figures.     

Critical success factors determining performance of cross‐border acquisition: Evidence from the African telecom market

This study investigates the factors affecting Bharti Airtel's cross‐border postacquisition performance in an African market. This study describes the relationships among various factors such as technical capability, affiliated firm's absorptive capacity, and organizational learning capabilities, which determine the successful operations of the Zain acquisition deal in South Africa. This paper adopts a qualitative approach to identify factors that influence the postacquisition performance. Seven factors are identified based on the literature. Consequently, it has become a necessity to encapsulate these factors in suitable proportions. In this study, we have developed a total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) to analyze the postacquisition performance of Bharti Airtel in South Africa. Our research has highlighted six dynamic factors (organizational learning capability, knowledge management, technology capability, technology relatedness, acquirer's absorptive capacity, and national culture difference) that affect the firm's postacquisition performance. The interpretive structural model (ISM) and total interpretive structural model for postacquisition performance are built‐up. The developed TISM will support academics and practitioners to develop their understanding of acquisition performance of parent companies in the context of telecom business in the South African market.     

From production to sustainability: Considering the whole household

The recent focus on sustainability as guiding principle for economic activity has generated many, and often conflicting, definitions of sustainable economic development. Yet while the terminology may be new, the discussion is not. Rather it parallels the discussion about biases of economic measurement and valuation concepts which have led to the neglect of the domestic and subsistence contribution of female householdership relegated to the informal sector. This paper argues that the selective focus of economics on narrowly defined productive functions has led to the detrimental neglect of sustaining functions without which production itself would be impaired. Informed by feminist theory, three principles are identified which are essential to the conceptual framework of a sustainable production theory. They are: concretion rather than abstraction, connectedness rather than isolation, and diversity rather than homogeneity. Without deterring from the importance of gender (especially in economics), the discussion of these principles of a sustaining orientation of economics is viewed in a broader context of mind-sets. It is argued that to reframe the relationship between production and sustainability as compatible rather than adversarial requires a broadening of theory, inquiry, and methodology. The voices of women who have gone largely unheard in economics are essential in this refraining process.

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Zusammenfassung Von der Produktion zur Nachhaltigkeit: Die Betrachtung des Haushalts als Ganzes. Die neuere Betonung der Nachhaltigkeit als Leitprinzip für ökonomisches Handeln hat zu vielen — manchmal uneinheitlichen — Definitionen der nachhaltigen wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung geführt. Neu ist bei dieser Diskussion nur die terminologische Seite, die inhaltliche ist es nicht. Vielmehr gleicht sie der Diskussion über unzulÄngliche Konzepte zur ökonomischen Messung und Bewertung, die zu einer VernachlÄssigung des dem informellen Sektor zugeordneten Unterhaltsbeitrages der überwiegend weiblichen haushÄlterischen TÄtigkeit geführt hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag will zeigen, da\ die einseitige Betonung eng definierter produktiver Funktionen durch das ökonomische Denken zu einer schÄdlichen VernachlÄssigung der Unterhaltsfunktionen geführt hat, ohne die die Produktion sehr beeintrÄchtigt wÄre. Ausgehend von feministischer Theorie werden drei Prinzipien identifiziert, die für eine Theorie nachhaltiger Produktion wichtig sind: Konkretisierung statt Abstraktion, Verbundenheit statt Isolation und Verschiedenheit statt Einheitlichkeit. Wenn Produktion und Nachhaltigkeit in neuer Sichtweise nicht mehr nur als gegensÄtzlich, sondern als miteinander vereinbar gesehen werden sollen, so ist dafür eine Ausweitung der Fragestellungen der Theorie und der Methodologie notwendig. Die Stimmen der in der ökonomik weitgehend ungehörten Frauen sind für diese neue Sichtweise sehr wichtig.

     

Gut geruht?

Schlafst?rungen vorbeugen - Oft sind Schlafst?rungen Bestandteil psychischer, organischer oder neurologisch degenerativer Erkrankungen. Sie k?nnen aber auch die Folge falschen Verhaltens oder ungemessener Schlafbedingungen sein. Also: Was f?rdert gesunden Schlaf, was behindert ihn?     

A new innovation paradigm: European cohesion policy and the retreat of public science in countries in Europe's scientific periphery

This article seeks to undertake a critical assessment of the changing position of public science in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the countries on the periphery of European research. These countries are driven by new innovation paradigm based on entrepreneurship, which are implemented within the European Smart specialization strategy (S3). This article argues that S3 is widely implemented in the cohesion countries and, while it provides substantial resources for science, technology, and innovation, it fails to provide sustainability in the public research sector. This has direct implications for policies concerning innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems. In order to prove the thesis, the article provides theoretical argumentation for emergence of a new innovation paradigm, driven by the rise of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, its incorporation into S3, and a consequent retreat of science policy in favor of entrepreneurial policy. The empirical analysis is focused on the funding trends seen in the business and public research sectors over the last decade (2008–2017), which have clearly shown that S3 has not contributed, despite expectations, to an increase in public expenditure for science. This signifies S3's neglect of public research within entrepreneurial ecosystems and challenges the ability of S3 to reduce wide disparities in research and innovation performance across the European Union. This ultimately endangers the innovation potential of the entrepreneurial ecosystem itself.     

The development trinity: How regional integration impacts growth,inequality and poverty

Developing countries today have become more active participants in regional trade agreements. This raises questions about how the benefits of integration are distributed, and the extent to which lower‐income countries are able to capture development gains. Historically, such impacts have been difficult to identify with precision. This paper seeks to address this gap by empirically analysing the impact of regional integration on development, particularly the effects on growth and welfare. Using both bilateral and regional integration measures, we show that the ability to capture gains from integration varies across developing country regional groups, with developing Asia benefiting on par with developed countries. The findings in the paper indicate that trade and trade policy play an important role in reducing inequality and poverty in developing countries. It also shows that regionalism can function as a channel to make multilateralism a more adept way of addressing national challenges.