The effects on stressful organizational conditions on salesperson work motivation

This paper examines how organizational stress may contribute to intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions of salesperson work motivation. Hypotheses generated on the basis of sales management and organizational stress literature are tested using data gathered from an insurance sales population. Results indicate that excessive role stress may produce a significant adverse impact on salespersons' intrinsic and extrinsic work motivation. Research findings are discussed from a managerial perspective. The author expresses his thanks to Thomas R. Wotruba of San Diego State University for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.     

Canadian business perspective on nafta

This article presents some of the major criticisms concerning Mexico's entry into the NAFTA. Then it addresses these criticisms from the Canadian business executives’ point of view using data gathered from those currently doing business and not currently doing business in Mexico. The major concerns, costs, and benefits to Canadian firms have been identified. Candid comments from the business executives are contrasted with those views frequently portrayed in the popular press.     

Wildlife trafficking: Focusing on the entire supply chain

Fueled by her first-hand experiences with caring for wildlife, and the realization that efforts at fighting crimes against wildlife have hitherto been focused mainly on the supply side of wildlife trafficking, the author makes a case for a renewed focus on both the supply and the demand sides as well as the intervening link between them that facilitates such trafficking. After an engaging introduction, she discusses each of the above three parts in detail and concludes that a strategy involving the same intense focus on each of the three parts is sorely needed to eradicate crimes against wildlife. In the process, she argues that the adoption of the “carrot” approach would be far superior to the “stick” approach in achieving long-term success, and offers specific tactics pertaining to each of the three parts as actionable recommendations.     

A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Corporate Advertising in the United States and Japan

This article outlines one possible approach that companies can use to identify candidate countries for standardized international advertising campaigns. By clustering countries based on their similarity economically, culturally, and in their media availability and usage, marketers can identify those in which similar campaigns may be successful. In this paper, 40 countries were clustered into six groups within each of which standardization could be attempted. Discriminant analysis provided validation for the appropriateness of this six cluster solution. The implications of these results are discussed and directions for future research based on this approach are suggested.     

The Globalization of Business Schools: Curriculum and Pedagogical Issues

In this article we explore the connection between learning goals, cognitive skill development, and pedagogical strategies. We identify cognitive skills that are important to students of international business, and link them to the pedagogical strategies that support them. The characteristics that impact the effectiveness of international business pedagogy are described. Finally, three university programs are used to illustrate the connection between explicit learning goals, pedagogy, and cognitive skill development.     

The diffusion of HR practices in unions

Unions, like other service industry and/or nonprofit employers, are uniquely dependent upon the performance of their human resources to ensure organizational success. Consequently, unions have much to gain from adopting a more strategic focus in the management of their vital human talent. While some unions are moving toward greater sophistication in their internal HR practices (Clark and Gray, 2005), as a whole unions have been slow to embrace a strategic outlook on human resources and adopt HR practices that could improve union effectiveness and rejuvenate the union movement. In this paper, I identify and discuss internal organizational characteristics and external environmental factors that may influence the adoption of more sophisticated HR practices by labor unions. It is hoped that the framework that is suggested here can be used to launch research directed at understanding and improving the diffusion of good HR practices among unions that could subsequently improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of unions as institutions.