European Works Council at General Motors Europe: bargaining efficiency in regime competition?

The European Works Council (EWC) at General Motors Europe is frequently cited as one of the few examples of an efficient body of employee representation at a European level within a multinational company. Despite the increasing threat of social dumping in the enlarged Europe, the EWC was able to agree with management the terms of compulsory European minimum standards for defensive employment and competitiveness pacts, thereby restricting the effects of coercive comparisons between factories located in different countries. In this article, we focus on this experience and illuminate the tensions of ‘micro‐corporatism’ caught between international solidarity and regime competition.     

The KPSS test with two structural breaks

In this paper, we generalize the KPSS-type test to allow for two structural breaks. Seven models have been defined depending on the way that structural breaks affect the time series behaviour. The paper derives the limit distribution of the test under both the null and the alternative hypotheses and conducts a set of simulation experiments to analyse the performance in finite samples. Finally, we illustrate the application of the statistics through the analysis of real GDP and real per capita GDP for 22 developed countries.      

Variations in SME Characteristics and the Use of Service Intermediaries for R&D

Large companies increasingly look externally for opportunities to enhance innovation, which has resulted in closer study of innovation systems. We examined the role of service intermediaries (universities, technology centers, and consultants) within these systems using a sample of predominately small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises located in Valencia, Spain. As with studies of large companies, absorptive capacity (e.g., research and development expenditures) was positively related to the likelihood that a firm would engage in service collaborations. However, the rate of collaboration was higher relative to studies dominated by larger companies. Also, there were differences in the pattern of firm characteristics associated with the use of specific services. For example, the level of SME export activity related positively to the use of technology centers, but negatively to university collaborations. Copyright © 2011 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interest rate expectations and uncertainty during ECB Governing Council days: Evidence from intraday implied densities of 3-month EURIBOR

This paper analyses changes in short-term interest rate expectations and uncertainty during ECB Governing Council days. For this purpose, it extends the estimation of risk-neutral probability density functions up to tick frequency. In particular, the non-parametric estimator of these densities, which is based on fitting implied volatility curves, is applied to estimate intraday expectations of 3-month EURIBOR 3 months ahead. Estimates of the noise impact on the statistical moments of the densities enhance the interpretation. In addition, the paper assesses the impact of the ECB communication during Governing Council days. The results show that the whole density may react to the communication and that such repositioning of market participants’ expectations will contain information beyond that of changes in the consensus view already observed in forward rates. The results also point out the relevance of the press conference in providing extra information and triggering an adjustment process for interest rate expectations.     

Improving SME competitiveness reinforcing interorganisational networks in industrial clusters

Drawing on a social network approach this paper proposes a methodology that helps with the empowerment and development of interorganisational networks in clusters. Paper emphasises the necessity of establishing relationships with other firms and external agents in order to empower the creation and diffusion of knowledge, through factors such as innovation. The aim of the proposed methodology is to know how required knowledge should be located and diffused to identify the opportunities motivating the creation of particular interorganisational networks. Similarly, it is also important to know how to determine which agents might to take advantage of these opportunities creating networks.     

A guide to the computation of stationarity tests

In this paper we compare ways of computing stationarity tests. We show that whereas some of the procedures recommended lead to inconsistency of the tests, it is still possible to compute a test with good properties in finite sample in terms of empirical size and power. The guidance suggested in the paper is illustrated by testing for the purchasing power parity hypothesis in some developed countries.

Adoption and use of technology in small business environments

This paper examines the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the firm's human resources (HR) and organizational performance, and analyzes the effect of these changes on its competitiveness. The data were taken from 405 travel agencies. Structural equation analysis revealed that ICTs have a positive effect on company competitiveness, primarily by enhancing HR and organizational performance.     

Using strategic performance measurement systems for strategy formulation: Does it work in dynamic environments?

This paper examines how strategic performance measurement systems (SPMS) influence organisational performance through the shaping of the strategic agendas and strategic decision arrays that result from the processes of (re)formulation of intended strategies. Using a combination of archival and survey data collected from 267 medium and large Spanish companies, we find evidence supporting a positive association between SPMS and organisational performance that is mediated by the comprehensiveness of the strategic decision arrays. We find this mediation is negatively moderated by the level of environmental dynamism, so that the comprehensiveness of strategic decision arrays that result from strategy (re)formulation processes mediates the association between SPMS and organisational performance when environmental dynamism is low, but not when environmental dynamism is high.     

循序渐进——成功转型之道

成功的转型通常都设定明确的拓展性目标，制定了清晰的转型结构，同时动员企业的全体员工积极参与。公开而强有力的领导参与是第四个设计主题，它是其他设计主题乃至整个转型成功与否的关键。