The Role of Public–Private Partnerships in Facilitating Cross‐Border Logistics: A Case Study at the U.S./Canadian Border

Private enterprise carries out the complex operations of cross‐border logistics that are the lifeblood of global supply chains. Yet, the efficiency of these activities depends on government agencies that provide the logistics infrastructure for global trade. Thus, public–private partnerships (PPPs) play an important role in facilitating improvements in cross‐border logistics. While private enterprise and the public sector are key stakeholders in the quality of cross‐border logistics, research that examines PPPs in logistics management is relatively sparse. To address this gap, the current study aims to develop empirically based theoretical insights into the nature and role of PPPs in the context of cross‐border logistics. The study employs a grounded‐theory analysis of case study data collected at the U.S./Canadian border. Findings show that private enterprise collaborative capability and public interagency cooperation determine the performance of PPPs which, in turn, influence the quality of cross‐border logistics.     

The Impact of Segment Reporting Under the IFRS 8 and SFAS 131 Management Approach: A Research Review

This paper evaluates the impact of adopting the management approach for segment reporting. We review studies of the effect of the application of SFAS 131 and IFRS 8 on the number of reported operating segments and items of disclosure, segment reporting gaps and reconciliations, entitywide geographic disclosures, and competitive harm and decision usefulness of segment information. We report on the advantages and disadvantages of the management approach and explore whether the concerns of critics of adopting the management approach in IFRS 8 have been realized. We also identify opportunities for important and policy‐relevant research in the area of segment reporting based on IFRS 8.     

The research vendor selection process: A quantitative decision matrix for increasing value for both buyers and sellers

This paper provides a real life example of the importance of the research vendor selection process within an organisation that is transforming its focus towards a customer-centric approach through an increased understanding of customers and consumers and the use of research for segmentation. The authors have developed a ‘Vendor Selection Matrix’ which quantitatively weighs and measures potential vendors against key criteria for successful research and segmentation. This matrix was used on a consulting project with a Canadian-based financial services organisation. Valuable insights and ideas for marketing executives, managers and professionals, the market research community and marketers of financial services products are provided. The paper finishes with the key lessons learnt throughout the market research vendor selection process, industry applicability and implications for further research.     

Flow Online: Lessons Learned and Future Prospects

Although the flow construct has been widely studied over the past decade in marketing and related fields, it has proven to be an elusive construct to measure and model. In this paper, we examine two of the most important themes in flow research in the last decade: the conceptualization and measurement of flow in online environments and the marketing outcomes of flow. In addition, while the unique characteristics of the Internet contributed to our belief that flow was an important construct for understanding consumer use of the Web in 1996, the environment of the Web itself has changed radically over the past decade. Thus, we consider the current context of the Internet, including virtual worlds, for the role and application of the flow construct, as well as important related constructs that will be useful for understanding compelling experiences in the contemporary online environment.     

Work absences and doctor visits during an illness episode: The differential role of preferences,production, and policies among men and women

This paper analyzes the absenteeism and medical care consumption behavior of employed men and women during an episode of acute illness. An individual’s daily optimization decisions are modeled in a dynamic framework to evaluate the role of (1) preferences for absences and treatment, (2) effectiveness of these inputs on recovery, and (3) economic incentives in determining the number and timing of absences and doctor visits and the duration of illness. In general, men appear to be more responsive than women to changes in sick leave and health insurance mainly due to differences in preferences.     

IBM's Journey Towards a Market-Driven Process-Managed Business Model

in 1994, the IBM Corporation undertook several massivereengineering projects with the objective of dramatically changingthe way we do business around the world. One of these initiatives,the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) reengineering project,was intended to support our evolution to a market-oriented customer-focusedorganization. It was clear that we had lost touch with our customers,and had become an inward-focused organization mired in our owninternal policies, procedures and systems—radical changewas required. The driving force behind the reengineering of ourCustomer Relationship processes was a clear set of customer prioritieswhich formed the basis for the major design principles guidingthe project. This article provides a glimpse into this reengineeringeffort, with a focus on the business drivers as well as somekey issues and obstacles to both the design and deployment ofCRM.     

Do company ethics training programs make a difference? An empirical analysis

The authors analyze results of a survey of members of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business classes of 1953–1987 in order to assess the potential effectiveness of firms' ethics training programs. Results suggest that such training has a positive effect, but that relatively few firms provide such programs (about one-third of the respondents worked for firms with such programs). Although the sample is not representative of American employees and managers generally, the results suggest that it may be worthwhile for firms to provide formal ethics training to their employees.John Delaney is Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at The University of Iowa. His research on ethics in business has been published in Across the Board and Iowa Business. As part of an ongoing study, he is collecting examples of ethical dilemmas that have been confronted by managers in recent years.Donna Sockell is Director of Credit Programs and Professor of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. In addition to her research on ethics in the workplace, she has designed and taught ethics programs for several corporations and commodities exchanges. Currently, she is gathering information on how firms' ethical practices affect employees.     

Do tax-exempt yields adjust slowly to substantial changes in taxable yields?

This paper examines the profitability of two futures trading strategies: a municipal bond futures contract strategy and a spread strategy consisting of a municipal bond futures contract and a Treasury bond futures contract. Both strategies are designed to exploit a slow municipal yield adjustment following changes in Treasury yields. We find economically significant profits to both strategies. Average holding period returns per trade for both strategies tend to increase with the magnitude of the Treasury yield change. Profit distributions associated with various Treasury yield change thresholds tend to be positively skewed, and median profits are significantly lower than average profits. The profitability results are consistent with slow municipal yield adjustments. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 28:763–789, 2008